Pear Miso Glazed Tofu and 5 Spice Parsnip Carrot Pancakes

Tonight I decided to use what I had on hand to make dinner...I had lots of pears, parsnips, and carrots as well as a few scallions that I needed to use up.  I had been wanting to try making a miso pear sauce with some tofu and tonight seemed like the perfect night!  So I marinated my tofu in some tamari, rice wine vinegar and peanut oil, and made a flavorful miso pear sauce to coat it.  I added some ginger and shallots to my sauce as well as some mirin and honey...it was wonderful!  Sweet and tangy...also, almost floral from the pears and that something special from the addition of miso.  But tofu alone wouldn't make a meal, veggies are always a must on my menus.  So the carrots, parsnips and scallions became 5 spice parsnip carrot pancakes.  They were a sort of potato pancake  or latke cousin.  I don't know what possessed me to make them, just that something like hashbrowns sounded good, but wouldn't have gone as well with the asian tofu, and I wanted to use up what I had.  The 5 spice was added because I thought it would give them a more interesting flavor.  It did...they were lightly spiced, crispy and savory...especially good with the extra pear sauce that ran onto them. 

Pear Miso Glazed Tofu

Serves 2

Tofu and marinade:

10 oz firm tofu, cut into 6 triangles

2 Tbsp tamari

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp peanut oil

1 clove garlic, minced

sea salt

Pear Miso Sauce:

2 tsp peanut oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

2 tsp grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium sweet tart pear (such as a bartlett) , diced

2 tsp white miso

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp mirin

2 tsp honey

sea salt to taste

To make tofu, combine with marinade ingredients in a shallow dish, tossing to coat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, flipping a few times. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a small saucepan, heat peanut oil over medium, and add shallots and ginger. Saute until softened, a few minutes, then add garlic, and saute for about 30 seconds. Add pears, miso, vinegar, sea salt, and cook until pears are soft, and saucy. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly. Puree in a food processor, and keep warm. Preheat the oven to 475 with the rack set at the top position. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Spread tofu out on sheet, and bake for about 5 minutes, or until starting to brown on first side, then flip and let brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Remove tofu from oven, and toss with sauce.

5 Spice Parsnip Carrot Pancakes

Makes 6 (serves 2)

1 1/2 cups grated parsnips

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

4 scallions, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp chinese 5 spice

1 egg

coconut oil for frying

Combine all ingredients (except coconut oil) in a large bowl and mix well.  Heat about 2 Tbsp coconut oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add pancake mixture by the 1/4 cup to the pan and flatten.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the first side, then flip and repeat with the second side.  Serve hot!

Mushroom Lentil Wild Rice Soup and Honeycrisp Apple Salad

There are many variations of creamy wild rice soup, especially here in Minnesota where it seems to be a standard item on many restaurant's menus.  It is funny how every store or restaurant claims that theirs is the best...which lead me to thinking I should create my own vegetarian version!  I decided that mushrooms were a must in my soup, because they love wild rice being that they are both so earthy.  I also included onions, carrots and garlic, but no celery, because I am really not a fan of it.  I believe that main dish soups need a protein source, and although chicken style seitan would have been delicious in this soup, I decided to go with lentils instead.  Nothing fancy, just what I had on hand the humble brown lentil.  Many wild rice soups are gut bustingly creamy...which is why many people love them, but I did not want mine to be.  Just rich enough to be satisfying, but still leave me feeling good after enjoying it.  So instead of the usual large amounts of butter and cream with white flour roux, I used olive oil with whole wheat pastry flour and a mixture of stock and soymilk instead.   It was still rich tasting and satisfying, and you wouldn't have known it was healthy.  The soup was wonderful...so much better than it's gut busting cousins!  Wonderfully earthy and silky...a wonderful marriage of flavors, a bowl of warming comforting goodness perfect for a fall evening! 

But of course, soup alone is not a full meal for me...so I made a light salad to go along with it!  And what better to feature in a salad this time of year than Honeycrisp apples?  They go wonderfully with bitter greens and shallots, so I included those as well.  Some roasted figs found their way into the mix, as well as some sweet and salty walnuts for crunch.  I dressed it all in a riesling vinaigrette, which happens to be my favorite because it is wonderfully sweet but has a nice tartness without being too acidic.  My last addition to the salad was a sprinkling of a locally produced cheese, Northern Lights Blue, which is actually made at the U of MN!  It is like a roquefort...sweet and salty.  It goes wonderfully with apples, especially Honeycrisp, and I often eat the two together for dessert if I want something light.  This salad is a mosaic of textures and flavors, and it has them all...tart apples, sweet figs, crunchy toasty nuts, bitter greens, and salty cheese...I don't know if I can call a salad heavenly, but this one is in my opinion!  Together this soup and salad made the perfect meal for a fallish night!  I have included both the recipes below if you are interested!

Mushroom Lentil Wild Rice Soup

Serves 4

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, diced

2 carrots, sliced

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour

2 cups stock
2 cups soy milk
12 mushrooms, sliced

1 can lentils, drained and rinsed

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp sea salt or as needed

freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups cooked wild rice

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onions and carrots and saute until starting to soften.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add flour, and cook for another minute, or until starting to toast, and lightly brown.  Add stock and soymilk slowly, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps from forming.  Add mushrooms, lentils, thyme, sea salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, and let cook until mushrooms have softened, soup has thickened, and flavors have melded, about 20 minutes.  Add wild rice, allow to heat through, taste for seasoning, add more salt if needed, and serve!

Honeycrisp Apple and Northern Lights Blue Cheese Salad with Walnuts

Serves 3

Walnuts:

1/2 cup walnuts

1 Tbsp agave nectar

1 Tbsp maple sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground chipotle powder

10 mission figs, halved
olive oil

Dressing:
1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp riesling vinegar

1 tsp honey dijon

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp dried thyme

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

5 cups mixed flavorful greens such as arugula, mizuna and dandilion

1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

2 small honeycrisp apples, sliced
2 oz roquefort or a local roquefort style blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil, and spray with nonstick spray. Toss walnuts with agave, maple sugar, sea salt , and chipotle and spread out on one of the sheets. Roast in the oven until fragrant and starting to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Increase the oven temp to 475, and place rack in the top position. Toss figs with a just enough oil to coat and spred out on other baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes until softened but not mushy. When done roasting, remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Combine greens, shallots, figs, and apples in a large bowl, pour dressing over, and toss with hands to coat. Divide salad between 3 plates and top with toasted nuts and cheese.

Autumn Vegetable and Seitan Stew with Rustic Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

Autumn is here, and therefore, it is time for hearty homey stews!  At least I thought so when I woke up this morning and it was a bit chilly.  So, as I doing my workout this morning, I made it go faster by thinking up what sort of delicious stews I could make.  I had lots of wonderful veggies to choose from, and I landed on onions, shallots, parsnips, carrots, mushrooms and potatoes.  All things that are available locally in Minnesota this time of year.  I was dreaming up a hearty stew with a luscious savory sauce, the kind my Mom used to make when I was little...however mine would be a bit different.  No meat involved here, and no onion soup mix!  I used chicken style seitan in mine, as I am a vegetarian, and my soup base was flavored with mushroom stock, Sangiovese red wine, tomato paste, worchestershire sauce, Tamari, and some nutritional yeast.  It is a wonderful combination, and makes for a lick the bowl  clean soup.  After the soup had simmered on the stove and I was devouring it with my crusty bread alongside to mop up sauces, I decided that it was better than the stew my Mom used to make!  Now earlier in the day before I started on the soup I had made some bread.  It was a zucchini yeast bread, because I have a lot of zucchini on hand right now I am trying to find uses for.  It was a wonderful crusty bread, laced with rosemary and thyme, perfect for mopping up a saucy stew, and that is why I decided to serve it with mine.  So I have included the recipe for that bread as well below after the stew recipe if you are interested. 

Autumn Vegetable and Seitan Stew

Serves 4

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup red onion, diced

1 cup shallots, diced

1 cup carrots, halved and sliced

1 cup parsnips, halved and sliced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp dried rosemary

2 tsp dried thyme

3 Tbsp good quality red wine

2 Tbsp Tamari

1 Tbsp vegan worchestershire sauce

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

10 mushrooms, sliced

2 cups diced waxy potatoes (such as yukon gold)
4 cups mushroom stock
2 16 oz pkgs chicken style seitan, cut into bite sized pieces
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp arrowroot starch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions, shallots, carrots, and parsnips, and saute until starting to soften and onions are starting to brown, about 7-10 minutes.  Add garlic, tomato paste, rosemary and thyme, and cook another minute until garlic is fragrant.  Add wine to deglaze the pan, stirring well to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom.  Add tamari, worchestershire sauce, tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes, stock, seitan and sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Bring stew to a boil, then lower to a simmer.  Cook for about 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.  Add nutritional yeast and arrowroot mixture, and cook another few minutes.  Taste for seasoning, and add more sea salt if needed.  Serve warm with some good crusty bread!

Rustic Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread Loaves
Makes 2 large loaves

About 4 cups of Zucchini, grated

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 packets of rapid rise yeast
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sea salt

1 Tbsp dried Rosemary

1 Tbsp dried Thyme

6 cups whole wheat pastry flour, plus more if needed

Place zucchini in a colander, and sprinkle with sea salt.  Toss well, and let drain over a bowl for about 30 minutes.  Squeeze dry with a towel, and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine yeast and water, and let sit 5 minutes.  Add oil, sea salt, herbs, and grated zucchini and mix well.  Stir in flour one cup at a time, until you have a dough that stiff and not too sticky, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until elastic and smooth, about 8-10 minutes.  If dough at any time seems too sticky, add a little more flour.  When dough is finished kneading, place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.  Punch dough down, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Divide dough into two pieces and shape each into a long loaf.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise about 30 minutes, or until almost doubled in bulk.  Slash each loaf diagonally with a sharp knife, but just marring the surface and not cutting too deep.  Brush each loaf with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown, hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom the bread's internal temperature reads at 190-200 degrees.  Let cool on a rack. 

Creamy Zucchini and White Bean Soup

Soup weather is here once again, so what better to make than  a warming bowl of goodness for dinner!  That was my thought tonight when I decided that was what I was going to make.  I had a giant zucchini that I had acquired, and it was far to much to simply make baked goods out of, so it went into my soup.  I wasn't sure what kind I wanted to make when I started with this zucchini soup, it was sort of a random choosing of ingredients as I went.  In fact when I started and as I was sauteeing the shallots and garlic, I thought a curried zucchini soup might be nice, but the theme quickly switched to an Italian flavor when I remembered I had some cooked white beans I wanted to throw in. A creamy white bean zucchini with parmesan was what I had in mind, but oops!  No parmesan cheese, so I made the soup creamy with the addition of almond butter instead of adding any dairy to the broth.  Rosemary, basil and thyme were my herbs of choice, and at the end I threw in a little miso paste which was just what it needed to give it that delicious I don't know what it is but it is crazy good flavor.  The soup was wonderfully creamy and warming, silky in my mouth with a light herby and savory flavor.  It was made even better with the addition of some toasted garlic basil bread for dipping, as a nice bread used for mopping up extra soup is a must for me.  What a wonderful use for that extra zucchini!  If you  have a bit of zucchini you need to use, or you would just like a warming dish for early fall, give this one a go!

Creamy Zucchini and White Bean Soup
Serves 3

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 large shallots, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked navy beans
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup unsalted roasted almond butter
2 Tbsp white miso
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil

1 tsp rosemary

2 tsp sea salt or to taste

In a medium stockpot, heat olive oil and add shallots.  Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add zucchini, beans, vegetable broth, almond butter, miso, thyme, rosemary, and sea salt and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 20 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth and serve!

Roasted Autumn Vegetable Pizzas with Toasted Walnuts, Gouda and Mozzarella Cheeses

Being that today was the first official day of Autumn, I was inspired to create a dish taking full advantage of autumn produce.  I thought of salads, casseroles, or simple roasted vegetables, but what really made me hungry the minute I thought of it was pizza!  It was a disgusting rainy day in Minnesota and what better than a comfort food like pizza to remedy the blahs of such a day!  I had some parsnips, carrots, rutabegas and apples at home as well as some shallots, and I knew they would go wonderfully together atop a crispy crust nestled in cheese of some sort.  Locally produced goat gouda was my cheese of choice, since gouda goes so well with apples and roots, but I threw on a bit of mozzarella as well, to spread out the flavor.  Some walnuts were added to the pizza as a last minute addition for a bit of crunch along with the soft veggies and some toasty nutty goodness!  It was a beautiful masterpiece with all the different colored veggies before it went into the oven...and smelled incredible when it emerged!  Biting into the cheesy roasted vegetable goodness atop the crispy crust was an expirience...one where I had to close my eyes and say Mmmm!  The apples provided a  tart sweet pop along with all of the savoriness of the veggies and cheese as well.  Autumn is here, so celebrate, and make yourself a pizza! 

Autumn Vegetable Pizzas with Toasted Walnuts, Gouda and Mozzarella Cheeses

Makes 2 10 inch pizzas

2 medium parsnips,  thinly sliced on the bias
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced on the bias
1 small rutabega, thinly sliced into pieces about the size of the other veggies
1 small tart sweet apple, sliced
extra virgin olive oil
6 small shallots, slice
2 garlic cloves, minced
balsamic vinegar
2 whole wheat pizza crusts store bought or home-made*
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz shredded Gouda cheese

A good quality pizza stone is essential to a crispy crust. Place the stone on the highest rack in the oven, then crank up the heat as high as possible at least an hour before baking the pizza (but if you don't have a stone, still use the top rack, but you will need to leave the pizza on a sheet pan to bake). Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Toss parsnips, carrots, rutabegas and apples with just enough oil to coat and spread out on it, and roast until softened, and starting to brown at edges, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium non-stick skillet, heat a little olive oil, on medium heat and add shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes until browned, softened and caramelly. Add garlic and cook for a minute more, until fragrant, and add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat. To assemble pizzas, place one piece of the dough on a piece of parchment paper, spray rolling pin with non-stick spray and roll out as thin as possible (about 10 inches is best) Repeat with other piece of dough using another sheet of parchment. Sprinkle salt and pepper over crust, then rosemary and thyme, then veggies, walnuts, mozzarella and gruyere. Using a pizza peel, or an upside down sheet pan, carefully slide the dough (keeping it on the parchment) into the oven. Bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until crust is starting to brown and cheese is bubbling. Carefully slide the parchment onto a sheet pan or pizza peel to remove from oven. Let cool a few minutes and serve!

*Amy's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Makes 8 10 inch crusts
Crust:
4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp Salt
2 Pkgs rapid-rise yeast
2 cups warm water

To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the water and then dissolve the yeast in the water. Gradually stir the flour into the water mixture, until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Oil a large bowl with olive oil, then place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area, such as near the oven, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. When dough has risen, punch down and divide into 8 pieces. You can either freeze the dough in individual portions (just place in ziplock bags and take out the night before you want to use it, then it will be ready to use the next day), or set aside to use right away. If making the recipe above, you will need two crusts.

Sweets N Beets...

Today I was going to make hummus...and I had been at work.  Kind of silly how I day dream about recipes instead of other things I could be doing, but I suppose, since I work in a health food store, I am looking at food a lot!  I was feeling rather uninspired in the realm of hummus.  I didn't want the usual flavors such as plain garlic, or roasted red pepper.  Now, don't get me wrong, those flavors are delicious, but I was in an exotic sort of mood.  I randomly walked by the Terra chips, which are delicious with hummus by the way, and the "Sweets & Beets" variety caught my eye.  Suddenly it dawned on me...sweets and beet hummus!  I had used beets in hummus before, and they gave it a lovely pink hue, but didn't add much flavor.  Sweet potatoes however, would add a sweet flavor, and their colors together would be beautiful!  So when I got home, I whipped up this concoction, using white beans as the base, and the usuals for hummus, olive oil, lemon and cumin, with a bit of chipotle for kick, and of couse lots of garlic!  I changed it up by using some almond butter instead of the traditional tahini, because I love the sweet flavor it gives the hummus.  It was beautiful once it was all blended together...like a sunset, a vibrant coral pinkish color. But even more exciting was the flavor!  It was sweet, and garlicy, with a zip from the lemon and heat from the chipotle!  Scrumtious, especially with the Terra chips I had bought that inspired it!  I also enjoyed some as a dip for raw green beans and it was fabulous!  Try out this lovely hummus with some chips, or whatever you like to munch on! 

Sweets N Beets Hummus

Makes 3 cups

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

2 cups cooked yam or sweet puree

1 cup cooked beets, diced

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp sea salt or to taste

1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp chipotle powder (depending on how spicy you want it)

freshly ground pepper to taste

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!

Autumnal Salad

Yesterday in the produce department there were several veggies that were calling my name...kale, edamame, carrots, and parsnips.  Specifically I picked these veggies because they were locally grown in Minnesota and they were beautiful, being that they were so fresh.  It thought that they might make a wonderful hearty fallish soup to serve that night along with some home made bread, which I had yet to make.  So, I bought them, but then the rest of the day happened, and well, you know how it goes, I didn't have nearly as much time as I thought I would to prepare dinner.  So, I nixed the home made bread idea, and since it had warmed up quite a bit outside, I decided that a salad would be better than a soup for dinner.  So I used the ingredients I had bought to make one!  I roasted the carrots and parsnips until they were nice and crispy at the edges, blanched the kale until bright green, and threw in the edamame along with some mild shallots I had picked up as well, and some toasted walnuts, because I like a little crunch.  I dressed the salad with a bit of Asian fusion...peanut oil, balsamic and tamari with a bit of honey, garlic and red pepper flakes.  When it all came together it was incredibly delicious, and definately the best early Autumn could offer in a salad!  The flavors worked well together, the caramelized roasted veg, the savory shallots, the toasty walnuts along with the kale and the salty sweet dressing.  I was glad I didn't make soup that night in the end.  If you have access to these autumn vegetables,  you should try out this salad! 

Amy's Autumnal Salad
Serves 2

Dressing:

1 1/2 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
sea salt to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
Salad:
2 medium carrots, sliced thinly on the bias
2 medium pasnips, sliced thinly on the bias
peanut oil

1 bunch kale, washed, and torn into pieces

1 cup edamame, shelled

1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 cup toasted walnuts

Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 475 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  Toss carrots and parsnips with just enough peanut oil to coat, and spread out on sheet pan.  Roast for about 15 minutes, or until starting to brown and crisp at the edges.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook kale for about 30 seconds, until blanched, and bright green. Remove with a strainer, and run cold water over the kale to stop cooking, then let cool.  In a large bowl, combine carrots, parsnips, kale, edamame, shallot, and walnuts.  Pour dressing over and toss to coat.  Divide between 2 plates and serve!

Squash and Basil Hummus with Balsamic

Summer is coming to a close, and fall is coming to a start. It is one of my favorite times year for produce since we have the last of the summer herbs and veggies, and yet the winter squash are just coming into season! I recently made a hummus that combined the goodness of both summer and fall, using some leftover cooked buttercup squash to give it a lovely sweet flavor, and basil to give some complexity. A little different for me, since I almost always pair squash with rosemary and thyme, but it worked, and it was a wonderful combo! I used white beans as my base bean this time, and added a bit of balsamic vinegar and lemon juice to brighten up the flavor. This is one of the best uses for using up cooked squash I have ever thought of! It makes a really good flavorful spread for a sandwich with veggies (which is my favorite way to use it), as a dip with crunchy vegetables of any sort, or on some nice crusty bread. It is so easy to whip up fast if you have cooked beans and squash...try it out now that squash are abundant!

Squash and Basil Hummus with Balsamic

Makes 3 cups

1 1/2 cups cooked navy beans (canned is fine)
2 cups cooked squash puree (preferably kabocha or buttercup)
3 small garlic cloves
juice of one lemon juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp sea salt or to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup fresh 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!

Roasted Fig and Carmelized Onion Pizzas with Toasted Pecans, Guyere and Mozzarella Cheeses and Fresh Basil

Fresh figs have been on my dinner menu a lot lately.  I love them roasted the most...sometimes even for dessert, broiled, drizzled with a touch of honey and sprinkled with some good Roquefort!  Last night however, I decided to make pizza, and include the figs on it.  Figs are delicious on pizza!  The first time I expirienced them on the flatbread was at Fig's Restaurant in Boston actually.  It was one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten!  That was also because they have a wonderful oven that bakes it at the perfect temperature, but the figs on the pizza added something special.  The pizza I made last night was similar in flavors.  I added carmelized onions, and gruyere cheese for some interesting flavors, as well as some fresh basil to top it off, since I still have it growing on my Patio.  It was a delicious and simple combination, the salty cheese, the sweet figs, and savory onions along with the herby basil...heavenly!  Comfort food of the best type!  It was just the type of food I needed after a stressful day at work.  Try it out if you have access to fresh figs! 

Roasted Fig and Carmelized Onion Pizzas with Toasted Pecans, Guyere and Mozzarella Cheeses and Fresh Basil

Makes 2 10 inch pizzas

14 fresh figs, halved
extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 whole wheat pizza crusts store bought or home-made*
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz shredded Gruyere cheese
about 4 fresh large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

A good quality pizza stone is essential to a crispy crust. Place the stone on the highest rack in the oven, then crank up the heat as high as possible at least an hour before baking the pizza (but if you don't have a stone, still use the top rack, but you will need to leave the pizza on a sheet pan to bake). Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Spread figs out on it, and roast until softened, and starting to brown at edges, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.  Meanwhile, in a medium non-stick skillet, heat a little olive oil, on medium heat and add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes until browned, softened and caramelly. Add garlic and cook for a minute more, until fragrant, and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.  Remove from heat.  To assemble pizzas, place one piece of the dough on a piece of parchment paper, spray rolling pin with non-stick spray and roll out as thin as possible (about 10 inches is best) Repeat with other piece of dough using another sheet of parchment. Sprinkle salt and pepper over crust, then scatter over the figs, onions, then the mozzarella and gruyere. Using a pizza peel, or an upside down sheet pan, carefully slide the dough (keeping it on the parchment) into the oven. Bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until crust is starting to brown and cheese is bubbling. Carefully slide the parchment onto a sheet pan or pizza peel to remove from oven. Scatter the basil over the pizza and serve!

*Amy's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Makes 8 10 inch crusts

Crust:

4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp Salt
2 Pkgs rapid-rise yeast
2 cups warm water

To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the water and then dissolve the yeast in the water. Gradually stir the flour into the water mixture, until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Oil a large bowl with olive oil, then place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area, such as near the oven, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. When dough has risen, punch down and divide into 8 pieces. You can either freeze the dough in individual portions (just place in ziplock bags and take out the night before you want to use it, then it will be ready to use the next day), or set aside to use right away. If making the recipe above, you will need two crusts.

Roasted Fall Fruits...

I have been indulging myself with apples and pears since they are available locally now, and although simply enjoying a nice juicy apple or pear by itself is delicious, I enjoy incorporating them into my salads as well!  Which is why I made a simple salad of roasted apples, pears and figs! This is one of those simple salads that is increadibly good!  Nothing complicated here, which is exactly what I wanted since I was hungry when I started making this, but I wanted something as good as a salad I would order in a restaurant.  I used some bitter greens, dandilion, mizuna and arugula, threw in some shallots, and dressed the salad with a tangy honey vinaigrette.  It wouldn't be complete however without some form of nut, so I added some honeyed pecans.  I love a good crunchy salty sweet nut on a salad with fruit!  The roasting brought out another dimension to the fruit that it didn't have when raw, as delicious as it was...the flavors were intensified, and the sweetness brought out.  It was as good as something I could have paid a lot of money for in a restaurant somewhere, but I was able to enjoy it in the comfort of my own home for a lot cheaper.  I will definately be making this quite a few more times before the local fruit is no longer avalible.  Try this out while fall fruits are in season! 

Roasted Fig, Apple and Pear Salad with Honeyed Pecans

Serves 3

Honeyed Pecans:

1/2 cup pecans

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp maple sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 bartlett pear, cut into wedges

1 honeycrisp apple, cut into wedges

10 mission figs, halved

peanut oil

Dressing:
1 Tbsp Peanut oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

5 cups mixed flavorful greens such as arugula, mizuna and dandilion
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil, and spray with nonstick spray. Toss pecans with honey, maple sugar and sea salt and spread out on one of the sheets. Roast in the oven until fragrant and starting to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Increase the oven temp to 475, and place rack in the top position. Toss figs apple, and pearwith a just enough peanut oil to coat and spred out on other baking sheet and roast for about 15-20 minutes until softened but not mushy. When done roasting, remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Combine greens, shallots, and roasted fruit in a large bowl, pour dressing over, and toss with hands to coat. Divide salad between 3 plates and top with toasted nuts.

Dave's Granola

I am fortunate to have someone special in my life who brings me lots of joy...my boyfriend Dave.  We have a lot in common, and he happens to be a runner and a vegetarian as well, so I often share food with him that I enjoy.  This includes the granola that I make every few weeks, and I can't live without.  He has gone through bags of it faster than anyone I know ever could!  He also happens to be training for a marathon which requires him to run many miles and need lots of good food to fuel his runs, and this is why I decided to dedicate the batch of granola that I was going to make this weekend to Dave!  Well that and the fact that I like cooking for him, and I appriciate him tremendously and it is the least I can do for him.  But I wanted him to have a say in what went into this granola, so I gave him a list of every sweetener, oil, nut, seed, fruit, and flavoring possible and he chose what he would like in it.  It was an interesting mix of ingredients he chose, and I was anxious to try making it!   For nuts and seeds there would be walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds and coconut, and for fruits dried blueberries and golden raisins.  It would be sweetened with honey, coated with coconut oil for crunch, and contain ground cinnamon, maple and vanilla extracts for flavor.  It was all very beautiful the mixture of nuts and seeds that he chose when it was finished!  Rather delicious if I do say so since I kept going back and "sampling" it many times while it was cooling on the pans...far too delicious to leave alone!  It was downright addictive!  At least I don't need to feel guilty about eating too much of it since as an added bonus, there are lots of health benefits to this granola with all the different nuts and seeds.  Since Dave often labels things as "epic" I decided that it was appropritate to label this granola as "Dave's Epic Granola" because it is epic just like he is to me!  Here is the recipe if you would like to try some:

Dave's Epic Granola

Makes about 14 cups of delicious granola

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups walnuts

2 cups sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup golden flax seeds

2 cups large flake coconut

3/4 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup honey

3 Tbsp maple sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp maple extract
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups dried blueberries, halved
2 cups golden raisins

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, sesame seeds, pine nuts, flax seeds, and coconut, and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oil, honey, maple sugar, cinnamon, sea salt, maple 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 blueberries and raisins and enjoy!

Goodbye Summer...Hello Fall!

When squash comes into season, I eat it pretty much every day since I love it so much!  Especially the buttercup and kabocha varieties which taste so good to me simply roasted that I scoop out the flesh and eat it plain needing no sugar or butter adornments.  This is why I was extremely excited when I saw that locally grown squash was back in the markets again!  I had to buy at least six!  And this was just for myself!  A couple days ago I was feeling rather hungry at work, and since I work in a deli looking at all the food was making it even worse...I was imagining the ways I could prepare a delicious squash when I arrived home that evening, and stuffing sounded the most appealing.  But I wanted to use up a bunch of beans, zucchini, mushrooms and carrots that I had bought earlier in the week as well.  I have never stuffed those things into a squash, since I usually do wild rice and apples with nuts, but I thought never was a better time to try it than when I was hungry!  It would be like a mixture of summer, the stuffing, and fall, the squash!  I roasted the veggies, and tossed them with a bit of balsamic and sauteed seitan for protein along with shallots and pine nuts, and it was all quite beautiful with the colorful veggies!  Of course I had tasted the filling before I stuffed the squash, and it was delicious, so I knew the stuffed squash as a whole would be amazing!  It was so good I devoured it in no time flat!  I decided that I needed to share the recipe with you, in case you would like to try the deliciousness for yourself!

Late Summer Vegetable and Seitan Stuffed Squash

Serves 2

1 large Kabocha Squash, cut in half, and seeded
olive oil, divided
sea salt
1 cup carrots, sliced very thin on the diagonal
1 cup green and wax beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
8 crimini mushrooms, halved, or quartered if large
1 16 oz pkg chicken style seitan, cut into bite sized pieces
6 small shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with foil, and spray with non-stick spray.  Brush insides of squash with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Place squash cut side down on sheet pan, and roast, until just tender, about 40 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together carrots, beans, mushrooms and 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Spread out on sheet pan, and roast until tender and starting to brown, about 15-20 minutes.  When veggies are done roasting, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large non-stick skillet on medium heat.  Add shallots and seitan and saute until shallots are soft, then add garlic and saute an additional minute.  Add roasted veggies to the pan, along with pine nuts, balsamic, and sea salt and pepper to taste, and toss together well.  Remove from heat, stir in fresh basil and fill warm squash halves with the mixture.  Serve warm.

Tomatoes are taking over my kitchen...

My counter was overflowing with tomatoes...they were taking over my kitchen! I had to do something with at least some of them soon, and I hated the idea of throwing them out and wasting them, and didn't have room in my freezer...so I decided to have a tomato feast! Well, sort of a feast, there were tomato elements in the three parts to the meal, my soup, pizza, and a cocktail!

I wanted my soup to be simple, but something other than tomato basil, so I came up with a roasted tomato soup that was made creamy by the addition of almond butter instead of the usual cream!  There was no basil in this soup, I added rosemary and thyme, since it is getting close to the end of summer and those herbs are almost fallish to me.  It was delicious and elegant and tasted like there was some decadence to it, but  really it was rather simple to prepare, and would also be nice for dinner with some crusty bread!  I even served it in what else...a giant tomato shell!  But I decided to make a pizza with it to share, a double tomato pizza made with a sundried tomato almond pesto, rosemary and thyme, some fresh tomatoes, toasted almonds, and mozzarella and swiss cheeses.  It may sound like an odd combo...but it was scrumptious!  I love nuts on a pizza, even though most people would think I was nuts for such an addition!  Don't knock it until you try it though...they are a nice textural element, and the toastyness of them adds something as well!  I mean I could have just made a margherita pizza, but I guess I got a bit tired of that one after making it so many times.  This was a nice change, and very end of summerish to accompany the soup!  They did sort of have the same flavoring elements after all! 

The last addition to this meal was a Basil Mary...Bloody Mary's sister, since it was not a classic Bloody Mary since I added basil and chipotle with a bit of sea salt instead of the usual worchestershire sauce and tobasco.  And no store bought tomato juice this time with all the tomatoes I had!  I used the insides from the giant tomato shells I served my soup in for the puree.  I have to admit though, this time I made a virgin cocktail for myself, and saved the vodka for my dining guest who had requested the Bloody Marys in the first place.  It was delicious without the alchohol addition in my case, but she loved the one with it.  So either way, I decided to share the recipe along with the others!  This dinner turned out to be a wonderful summer's end feast, and enjoyment of the tomato crop this year!  I have included all the recipes in case you are interested in trying them, even if you don't make them all at once!  Enjoy!

Creamy Roasted Tomato Almond Soup

Serves 3

8 medium tomatoes, quartered

olive oil

8 small shallots, sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

a pinch red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp almond butter

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable stock, or as needed

toasted sliced almonds for garnish

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick spray. Spread the tomatoes out on the pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast the tomatoes for about 20-30 minutes, until starting to char, on the top rack of the oven, then remove from oven. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan, and add shallots.  Saute until soft, and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about a minute, then add balsamic, the roasted tomatoes, along with any accumulated juices, almond butter, rosemary, thyme, and sea salt and pepper to taste.  Add stock if necessary to thin.  Let simmer for about 15 minutes to develop flavor, then use an immersion blender, or regular blender (but if using a regular blended be sure to let steam escape out the top of blender before pureeing and cover with a towel so it doesn't explode) to puree until smooth, adding more stock if mixture is too thick.  Serve topped with toasted almonds if desired. 

Pizza with Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto, Garden Fresh Tomatoes Swiss, Mozzarella and Toasted Almonds

Serves 1 hungry person or 2 if willing to share

Pizza:

Pesto:

4 oil packed sun dried tomatoes

1/4 cup almonds

1 clove garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp water

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

1 12 inch whole wheat pizza crust, storebought or home made*

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

2 oz swiss cheese, grated

2 oz mozzarella, grated

1 medium tomato thinly sliced, and patted dry

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with the rack set at the top position with a pizza stone if you own one.  Combine all pesto ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth, adding more water if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.  Roll out pizza dough on a large piece of parchment to a 10 inch circle (you might want to spray your rolling pin with cooking spray if the dough is sticking).  Spread pesto over pizza, and sprinkle with herbs.  Scatter cheeses over, then top with tomatoes and almonds.  If using a pizza stone, use an upside down sheet pan to slide the parchment and pizza onto the stone (or place parchment and pizza on a pan if you have no stone, and cook on pan), and bake for about 3 minutes or until cheese is starting to brown and bubble and crust is crisp (it may take longer without a stone, and it may not be as crisp).  Remove from the oven, let cool about a minute and dive in! 

*Amy's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Makes 4 10 inch crusts

Crust:

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 Pkg rapid-rise yeast

1 cups warm water

To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the water and then dissolve the yeast in the water. Gradually stir the flour into the water mixture, until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Oil a large bowl with olive oil, then place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area, such as near the oven, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. When dough has risen, punch down and divide into 4 pieces. You can either freeze the dough in individual portions (just place in ziplock bags and take out the night before you want to use it, then it will be ready to use the next day), or set aside to use right away. If making the recipe above, you will need one crust.

Basil Mary (Bloody Mary's Sister)

Serves 1

3 large basil leaves

1 cup ice cubes

1 cup tomato puree

2 oz vodka

juice of half a lemon

1/8 tsp chipotle powder

a dash of sea salt

In a martini shaker, muddle the basil leaves with the ice, crushing them until they are in small pieces. Add the tomato puree (if you puree one medium tomato and strain it that is about how much fresh), vodka, lemon juice, chipotle and sea salt and place top on shaker, and shake until well blended. Pour a chilled glass, adding and serve!