Spicy Cauliflower with Olives

Cauliflower melds really well with briny Mediterranean foods like olives and capers.  Making this chunky-style pasta topper is a great way to integrate another cruciferous vegetable into your diet.    I like to serve it over olive oil-dressed spaghetti squash.

Oh and…save those tender outer green leaves that cradle the caulifower!  They’re full of great phytonutrients because they, unlike the cauliflower, were exposed to the sun while the plant grew.  Use them in your salad or garnish the plate with them for a little nibble on the side.  [Ever wonder why cauliflower is white?  No need to produce pigment-rich anti-oxidants if you’re already protected from the elements!]

 

Spicy Cauliflower with Olives

Ingredients:

1 small head cauliflower [@ 3.5 cups florets]

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1-28oz can chopped tomatoes

½ cup capers, rinsed

~24 black olives [Whichever kind you prefer, I used Botija olives because I had them on hand.]

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 T dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

2 tsp fennel seeds

2 dried Turkish bay leaves

2 cups water or vegetable stock

sea salt

freshly-cracked black pepper

olive oil, for sautéing the vegetables

Directions:

Sauté the onions, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, thyme, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes over medium heat in a drizzle of olive oil until the vegetables have softened.

Add the cauliflower florets, tomatoes, capers, olives, bay leaves and water.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender and the water volume has reduced by at least half.  Season with salt and pepper.

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Roasted Papritots

 

Paprika is one of those spices that seemingly carries history upon it’s scent.  At least it does for me.  Whenever I breathe in the smokiness of the dried pepper blend, I immediately imagine bazaars teeming with clamourous commerce in exotic eastern locales or dusty dry mediterranean towns sitting within the watchful shadow of boxy castles set upon distant hillsides.  Paprika is a spice that has stories to tell. 

There really isn’t anything simpler or more comforting than a dish of roasted potatoes.  Thing is, simply by adding some spicy hot paprika prior to roasting and a light dusting of lemon zest afterward, this very simple dish is elegantly transformed into the exotically sublime. 

 

Roasted Papritots

Ingredients:

1 lb small red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces [I used a variety of young bell peppers including red, orange and yellow and cut them into slices.  You could use whichever color you prefer.]

12 garlic cloves

1 tsp finely-grated lemon zest

1 tsp hot paprika

olive oil

sea salt

freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place into a bowl.  Add the garlic, bell peppers and paprika.  Add a drizzle of olive oil.  Mix well to evenly distribute the paprika.

Transfer to a Silpat-covered or non-stick baking sheet and roast for 40-45  minutes until the potatoes are browned.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with lemon zest.

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Stuffed Bell Pepper and Cabbage Soup

 

This is a fabulous way to use leftover rice and lentils.  I don’t know about you, but we often have leftover cooked lentils and brown rice on hand because they are so versatile.  I also tend to keep cabbage in the crisper because I love adding it to salads for a sweet crunch.   This soup will thicken overnight as the rice absorbs the broth and become more stew-like.  You can then ladle it over baked potatoes or a plateful of steamed greens for another more hearty meal.  It also freezes very well.

 

Stuffed Bell Pepper and Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

5 tomatoes [mine weighed 1.5 lbs total]

1 medium onion, diced

2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced [reserve a ¼ cup for garnish]

½ head cabbage, cut into shreds [Mine yielded about 6 cups]

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 cup cooked Puy lentils

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T tomato paste

1 ½ T dried oregano

Sea salt

Freshly-cracked black pepper

6 cups vegetable or faux chicken broth

Olive oil

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes in half and toss with a bit of olive oil.  Roast in a 450°F oven for an hour or until caramelized on top.  Transfer to a blender and blitz.  [Mine yielded 2 cups of tomato puree]

While the tomatoes are roasting, add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan over medium heat and sauté the onions, garlic, bell pepper and cabbage until softened.  Add the tomato paste and oregano.  Cook for a few minutes longer.  Add in the rice and lentils and mix well.  Set aside until the tomatoes are ready.

Add the tomato puree and vegetable broth to the pot and bring to a simmer.  Let cook for about 15 minutes and then season with salt and pepper. 

Garnish with dried or fresh oregano [mine happened to be flowering, so I used those as well] and finely diced green bell pepper.

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Meatless Monday: Spicy Peppers and Onions

This is a really quick and easy dinner recipe.  It’s great over a whole grain pasta [quinoa pasta pictured above] or over an Italian sausage style seitan dog in a hoagie bun.  I keep frozen seitan sausages on hand for those times when I just want to relax and not think about what’s for dinner; it’s a great time saver. 

Spicy Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:

1-28 oz can crushed plum tomatoes

6 cloves garlic, sliced

4 green bell peppers, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 T Creole/Cajun salt-free seasoning [Whichever you prefer, but salt-free is important otherwise it’ll be too salty.]

olive oil

sea salt

freshly-cracked black pepper

fresh basil

Directions:

Drizzle a bit of olive oil into a pan and place over medium heat.  Sauté onion and bell pepper until softened.  Add in the garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes.  Add the tomatoes and Creole seasoning.  Cook for 15 minutes and then taste for salt, pepper and seasoning.  Adjust as necessary. 

Serve this over pasta with or without Italian-style seitan sausages.  Garnish with fresh basil.

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Meatless Monday: Lentil and Brown Rice Wrap

 

Lentil and Brown Rice Wrap

Ingredients:

Whole wheat tortillas [Our favorite is Trader Joe’s Organic brand]

1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise

1 yellow squash, sliced lengthwise

1 red bell pepper, sliced

olive oil

puy lentils, cooked in vegetable broth

short-grained brown rice, cooked in vegetable broth

green leafies [I used mâche]

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

sea salt

freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions:

Lightly brush or spray the sliced squash and pepper with olive oil and grill in a grill pan. 

Place the green leafies in a bowl and toss with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.

Mix the rice and lentils together in equal proportion.  Place a few spoonfuls upon a warmed whole wheat tortilla.  Top with the grilled vegetables and some of the seasoned green leafies.   Wrap up and eat!

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Pulled Yuba Sandwich with a Sesame Slaw

 

Cherries, especially the tart variety,  are receiving a great deal of attention these days in the athletic world due to their ability to mitigate pain after exercise.  This little fruit is packed full of anti-inflammatory anthocyanins as well as the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin which are important to the health of your vision. They are also, interestingly enough,  a good source of the calming antioxidant, melatonin.

I use a great deal of fruit and vegetable juices in my cooking to impart both flavor and nutrients to our food, so when Cheribundi approached us and asked if we’d try out their cherry juice, we eagerly agreed.  This sauce, coupled with the yuba, was savory and sweet, tangy and lip-smacking good.   In short, it had umami.   The slaw, absolutely necessary for any mustardy Carolina-style barbecue-sauced dish, was the perfect fresh and raw accompaniment. 

 

Pulled Yuba in a Cherry Barbecue Sauce with Sesame Slaw

Ingredients:

1 cup tart cherry juice [I used Cheribundi’s Tru Cherry juice.]

½ cup dried sour cherries

¼ cup yellow mustard

¼ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup dark brown sugar

3 T tomato paste

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp chili garlic sauce

1 tsp freshly-cracked black pepper

6 oz dried bean curd sheets [1 package]

Peanut oil

Directions:

Add a drizzle of peanut oil to a pan and heat over medium.  Add the tomato paste and spread around the pan to caramelize and rid the paste of the tinned flavor.  Add the remaining ingredients, except the yuba and dried cherries, and bring to a low simmer.  Cook for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

While the sauce is simmering, soak the sheets of yuba in hot tap water to hydrate.  Once pliable, drain and roll into a tight bundle.  Cut into small shreds across the roll. 

Add the shredded yuba and dried cherries to the sauce.  Mix well to incorporate and set aside to marinate.  The longer you leave it, the more flavor the yuba will absorb.  To serve, simply return to the heat and warm through.  I served this sandwich-style on a toasted ciabatta bun.

 

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Sesame Slaw

Ingredients:

snow pea pods, julienned

red bell pepper, julienned

apple, julienned

golden beet, shaved with a vegetable peeler

tahini

fresh lemon juice and zest

dark sesame oil

black sesame seeds

Directions:

I did not include amounts because it depends upon how much you wish to make.  I simply added equal portions of each fruit and vegetable ingredient and then used a 2:1 ratio of tahini to lemon juice as the dressing with a few drops of dark sesame oil added.  Season with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

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Meatless Monday: Vegan Machaca

 

This is  a great way to morph leftover Yuba Asada into a new dish or to forge ahead and simply create this one on its own.  I grew up in southern California and machaca burritos were sold at nearly every Mexican food restaurant.  As a result, I grew to love them but since they contain egg and shredded beef,  as a vegan,  I figured that I was outta luck forever until I actually gave this dilemma some thought.  This is what I came up with and it satisfied my tastes entirely. 

 

Vegan Machaca

Ingredients:

 yuba asada [I used leftovers and I’d estimate that there were 2 cups of yuba asada used in this recipe.]

1 block of firm tofu, crumbled into bite-sized pieces

juice of half a lemon

1 green bell pepper, large dice

1/2 an onion, large dice

2 canned green chiles, large dice

1-2 T canola or peanut oil

1/2-1 tsp annatto seeds [The amount depends upon the amount of oil to flavor/color.]

2 tsp dried Mexican oregano

Garnishes:  chopped tomato, sliced green onion, cilantro

Directions:

Add oil to a large sauté pan or wok and bring to a medium low-medium heat.  Toss in the annatto seeds and cook for about 5 minutes until the oil is both flavored and colored.  Remove seeds and discard.  [Annatto will give the dish a unique latin flavor as well as a saffron-hued color.]

Turn up the heat a bit and add onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened.  Add in green chiles and the tofu and mix well.  Cook until the moisture from the tofu has evaporated.  Add the oregano and lemon juice and then the yuba asada.  Continute cooking until the yuba is hot.

Serve with warm corn tortillas and garnishes.

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