soda bread

Tips: The more seeds the better, both mixed in the dough and sprinkled on top before the loaf goes into the oven. Currants and raisins give the bread a lot of flavor and sweetness, but if you want a very savory bread for making sandwiches or something, I would omit the dried fruit. I think currants are perfectly sized for bread because you get their subtle tart sweetness dispersed throughout every bite, but raisins also work for more texture and larger bursts of flavor.

1 1/2 cups almond milk

2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

2 tablespoons maple syrup

3.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sunflower, pumpkin, and/or flax seeds

2 teaspoons caraway seeds, crushed (optional)

2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus more for greasing the loaf pan

3/4 cup currants and/or raisins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan, then sprinkle with flour or cornmeal.

Whisk together the milk, vinegar, flax, and syrup with a fork, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt, and seeds.

Bake 50-55 minutes, or until well browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs.

walnut lentil pate

Inspired by a rich, complexly-flavored dish at Angelica's Kitchen in New York City. Use as a veggie dip, sandwich spread, or spread on slices of sourdough bread, broil for about one or two minutes, and serve warm. 

Time: 45 minutes

Makes 1.5-2 cups

1/2 c dried French (green) lentils, preferably soaked

bay leaves

1 cup walnuts (or substitute pecans)

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 tbs coconut oil

1T mirim

1T umeboshi paste (salty and sour, so if you need to sub use pickled vegetables

1 T miso

1T dried basil or ½ cup fresh basil, mint, or cilantro

Place lentils in a saucepan with bay leaves and enough water to cover by 3 cm. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Saute the onions and garlic in oil in a skillet over a medium heat, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes.

Combine the walnuts, lentils, onion mixture, mirim, umeboshi, and miso in a food processor/blender and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add olive oil or non-dairy milk to thin down if needed. If using fresh herbs, add at the end and pulse until they are coarsely chopped but not fully homogenized.

You can serve immediately, but it improves upon chilling for several hours.

ginger

Ginger root has beige skin and hard, fibrous, pale-yellow flesh. Fresh ginger is sweet, aromatic, and pungent, whereas dried ginger powder has a completely different taste—much more spicy. I use both often, but they are so different they cannot usually replace each other in recipes. Fresh ginger tends to have a superior taste and has more health benefits. It can be found year-round in the produce section of markets, but make sure it is firm and free of mold (I see this surprisingly often). The skin should be smooth and shiny rather than wrinkly. The tough skin of fresh ginger must be peeled, which can be done easily by scraping with the edge of a spoon. It is then usually sliced thinly crosswise to cut the stringy fibers as small as possible, and can then be further minced. I nearly always have a fresh ginger root handy, as they are very good in a number of both sweet and savory dishes (such as bashed neeps, pudla besan, and blueberry orange compote). If there's any leftover that might go bad, I chop it up and steep it in hot water to make fresh ginger tea. Tea made this way is delicious and very different than the ginger tea-bag type; it has a very sweet and almost fruity flavor, somehow reminiscent of lemon drops. Ginger stays good on the counter for about a week (depending on the freshness upon purchase), but can also last in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.

blanched almonds

Blanch almonds have their skins removed. You can buy them pre-blanched from the store, usually in the form of slivered almonds, though these tend to be more expensive. Or you can blanch them yourself.

Total time: 15 minutes

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Put the almonds in the water and reduce the heat, boiling them for no longer than a minute, or they will get soft and soggy. Strain out the water then put the almonds in a bowl of cold water to arrest the cooking process. Once completely cooled, strain them again. To remove the skins, hold the almond between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze. Their skins should come of very easily, so if they are stubborn the almonds probably weren't cooked long enough or haven't cooled long enough. If this is the case, either start over or just use the almonds with the skins; its not worth trying to scrape off each skin. The almonds will probably shoot everywhere when you remove the skins, so I recommend doing this in a large bowl, pointing the almonds down so they will not end up all over your counter.

Thai red curry kabocha squash

Red curry kabocha is my all-time favorite Thai dish. Kabocha squashes don't tend to be cheap, but they are really irreplaceable for their creamy texture.

1.5 tbs red curry paste (I use Mae Sri)--these vary a lot so adjust to taste

1 tbs high heat oil

2 cups coconut milk

4-5 cups kabocha, peeled and ut into roughly 1/2"-1" chunks

1/2 cup water

1 cup (about 1/2 lb) of green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut to 1" long

2 green bell peppers, chopped into pieces no larger than 1/2"-3/4"

1" piece fresh ginger, grated

2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs agave or to taste
1/2 cup sweet Thai basil coarsely chopped (sub regular basil if necessary)
kaffir lime (if you have it)

Add curry paste, oil, and 2 tbs milk into a large saucepan and heat over medium-high. Stir a few minutes until very fragrant. Add kabocha, stir, then add rest of coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add bell peppers, green beans, ginger, soy sauce, and agave. Cook until kabocha is almost creamy but the veggies aren't mush--about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and cook another minute or two. Serve hot over jasmine or basmati rice.

gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes

2/3 cup (1oog) brown rice flour

1/4 cup (30g) millet flour or garbanzo bean flour

1/2 cup (40g) cocoa powder

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup (200g) maple syrup

2/3 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sunflower oil or melted coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line or grease 12 cupcake tins cups or 24 mini muffin tin cups. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and slowly stir in the dry ingredients until smooth. Divide the batter among the cups, and bake until tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the top comes out with just a few crumbs, about 15 minutes for the mini cupcakes and 20 minutes for the standard sized cupcakes. Let cool in the pans for a few minutes, then place on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 teaspoon salt, or more if the peanut butter isn't salted

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until homogenous. It will look weird and sticky like caramel sauce, but don't worry. Place in a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate or freeze until it solidifies. Remove from the refrigerator and with electric beaters whip several minutes, until light and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes immediately, spreading a generous amount on each cupcake with a knife, or store the frosting in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Don't frost the cupcakes very long before you serve them, or the cupcakes can get slightly soggy. The frosting needs to stay chilled until ready to serve.

banana cardamom shake

If you know a banana is about to go over the hill, you have two options: plan on making banana bread, or peel and freeze. Frozen bananas make smoothies thick and creamy, and can serve as the primary sweetener. If the banana in this smoothie isn't frozen, the result is goopy rather than thick and creamy, and is less refreshingly cold. Coconut butter (blended young coconut meat) makes this smoothie even richer and thicker. You can replace it with raw almond butter, although this will result in a slightly more bitter, earthy, and less decadent smoothie (which may not be all bad).

Serves 2

1 cup nondairy milk

2-3 pitted soft dates, chopped

2 tablespoons coconut butter (not coconut oil)

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 large frozen banana (140g)

2 ice ( g) ice cubes

Blend the milk, dates, coconut butter, and cardamom until the dates are completely broken down. Add the banana and ice cubes and blend until just creamy. 

lemon tahini dressing

Tahini is made of hulled, lightly roasted sesame seeds ground to a smooth paste, and has been used for centuries as an essential ingredient in many Middle Eastern recipes such as hummus and baba ghannouj. It provides a creamy base for lemon tahini dressing, a recipe I see fairly often but which varies widely from restaurant to restaurant. This version is not only one of my favorites in flavor but is incredibly healthy and simple to make. If raw tahini is used, this can be a completely raw salad dressing.

Makes 4 generous servings

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or tamari or soy sauce)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Combine ingredients in a bowl, stir together until uniform, and adjust ingredients to taste.

Toss with greens in a large bowl or pour over individual salads (which looks prettier). Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, sesame seeds, avocados, grated beets or carrots, sliced onion, cucumbers, or tomatoes. Any dressing that is not immediately used can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

bashed neeps (mashed rutabaga)

Rutabagas, also called "swedes" in Europe, or "yellow turnips", are believed to have evolved from a cross between a wild cabbage and a turnip sometime before the 17th century. They became popular in Scandinavia, especially Sweden, due to their ability to thrive in colder climates. In Ireland they were carved with faces for Halloween, and this tradition was brought over to America where, in the absence of rutabagas, Jack-O-Lanterns were carved into pumpkins. Rutabagas were cultivated in America starting in the late 19th century.

Rutabagas are found year-round here in California at the local farmers' market, and they keep very well (in the refrigerator up to one month, although I've used some much older than that). They can be used much the same way as potatoes in soups and stews or eaten raw chopped in salads and such. Although the rutabaga remains relatively unknown in America, it's impressive nutrition profile and delicious light sweetness and spiciness make it my favorite among root vegetables.

"Bashed neeps" (mashed "turnips") are a traditional Scottish accompaniment to haggis. The name alone is reason enough to try them, but bashed neeps are surprisingly tasty; the rutabaga is flavorful enough to be eaten on its own as a side dish, and like mashed potatoes is also delicious served with gravy. If cooked in the microwave, they are very easy to make. The original recipe calls for a bit of butter to add creaminess, but this can easily be omitted or replaced with almond or soy milk. Most recipes call for peeling the rutabagas, but I usually don't bother because I can't notice a difference and the most nutrients in vegetables are usually in the skins anyway.

Serves 4 as a side dish

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

2 smallish or 1 very large rutabaga

1-2 tablespoons unsweetened soymilk

1-2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

salt and pepper to taste

Chop the rutabaga in uniform pieces, place in a glass bowl (I use a large liquid measuring cup) with about 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the bowl but allow a small crack for steam to escape. Microwave on high for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the ginger. Microwave for several more minutes, until they are soft and slightly yellow. Alternatively, cook in boiling water for 15 minutes, until tender, then drain.

Mash with a potato masher until smooth, adding the remaining ingredients to taste. Serve simply with freshly ground black pepper or top with chopped green onions, caramelized onions, or vegan gravy.

pudla besan (gluten-free Indian chickpea flatbread)

Pudla is a savory pancake made from besan (chickpea flour) and native to Western India. It has many variations which use all different kinds of vegetables and spices, but here onion and ginger are the dominant flavors.

Chickpea flour can be found at health-food stores and Indian grocers.

Serves 2-4

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

Cook time: about 30 minutes (including rest time)

1 cup chickpea flour

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed

about 1/16 teaspoon ground cayenne or chili powder (add more if you like spicy food)

1 cup water

1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped

Mix together the flour, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Stir in the water until there are no more clumps. The consistency should be slightly thicker than heavy cream. Stir in the ginger and onion. Let the batter sit for 15-30 minutes. This supposedly lets the flavors intermingle and allows the besan to swell up, absorbing the water.

Heat a well-oiled skillet over medium heat. Pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of the batter at a time, spreading a bit with a spatula. Cook for several minutes on both sides, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve hot with chutney, baba ganouj, or an Indian curry.

oats and oatmeal

Oats are a healthy comfort food, rich in protein, B-vitamins, calcium, iron, and beta-glucan, an especially healthy form of fiber. Raw, unprocessed oats are gluten-free, although many oat products are cross-contaminated with gluten. Some oats are labelled gluten-free, indicating the oats were processed in facilities where there is no chance of contamination with wheat or wheat products.

From left: steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and quick oats

Oats come in many forms. Steel-cut oats, also called pinhead, Irish, or Scottish oats, are toasted oat groats that have been cut into several pieces. Every cup of steel-cut oats takes about 4 cups of water, and must be cooked on the stovetop for 35-40 minutes, resulting in a distinctive chewy texture and nutty flavor. Due to their long cooking time, they cannot be used in baked goods or cooked in the microwave. Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats, are groats that are steamed and rolled flat for quicker cooking. They work the best in baked goods and are my personal preference for oatmeal. Quick-cooking oats are oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces and rolled thinner so they will cook even faster. Instant oats look much like quick oats but are precooked and need to only be rehydrated with a hot water.

I've read that all these different types of oats have about the same amount of fiber and nutrients (except instant oats, which are ultra-processed), but I've also read that because steel-cut oats are slightly less processed, they retain more fiber and take more time to digest so keep you fuller longer. Who knows how big the difference really is, but I don't have time to make steel-cut oats in the morning so I'm happy with rolled oats.

For the winter months when hardly any fruits are in season, frozen blueberries become one of my staples at breakfast. I try to avoid frozen foods whenever possible because of the excess packaging and energy, but lots of recent studies show that frozen produce retains more of its nutrients than produce that has been shipped long distances. So when the options at the farmers' market are sparse, I eat oatmeal with frozen blueberries everyday, for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. It's so satisfying that I never get tired of it, and I like to think it meets some of my daily nutrition needs, as blueberries are supposedly rich in antioxidants, and flaxseed and walnuts provide omega-3s.

blueberry walnut oatmeal:

Makes 1 small bowl

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 2 minutes

1/3 cup rolled or quick oats (see above)

scant 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

dairy-free milk or yogurt (I use almond milk)

2-3 teaspoons ground flaxseeds

Put oats in a small bowl and pour in a little less than 1/2 cup of water, or until the water just barely covers the oats. Sprinkle on cinnamon and blueberries, and microwave on high for about 2 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the berries are thawed. If desired, top with nuts, milk or yogurt, and flaxseed.

flaxseeds

Above from left: ground flaxseeds and whole brown flaxseeds

Not only are these miraculous seeds useful to replace eggs in baked goods due to their binding properties, but are the most concentrated source of omega-3 fatty acids. They are an abundant source of many other important nutrients, such as B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, fiber, and contain plenty of antioxidants. Nutritionists recommend eating 2-3 teaspoons of flaxseeds daily, though they must be ground for the nutrients to be bioavailable (usually I eat mine on oatmeal or cereal). Flaxseed oil supplements are also available, but they lack the fiber and nutrients of real flaxseeds and are much more expensive.

You can buy flaxseed meal in packages from stores, but flaxseeds become rancid much faster once they are ground. So for a longer shelf life and to reduce packaging (not to mention money), buy whole flaxseeds from the bulk section of a natural foods store. The two varieties, golden and brown, are very similar nutritionally, but golden seeds supposedly have a more nutty taste. I prefer using golden flax meal for baked goods because it doesn't speckle them with healthfood-looking flecks. Grind the seeds in small batches using a coffee or spice grinder and store the ground flax in the freezer for only a few weeks at a time. Whole flaxseeds can be stored for up to a year at room temperature in a cool, dry place, but to be on the safe side, you can also refrigerate or freeze them.

Because flaxseeds have a nutty taste, they particularly benefit baked goods that do not have a delicate flavor, such as pancakes, french toast, waffles, bran muffins, whole grain breads, and oatmeal cookies.

1 tablespoon of ground flax whisked with 3 tablespoons of water roughly equals one egg in most recipes. I usually whisk these together vigorously by hand, but they can also be blended. The high quantities of soluble fiber in flax adds structure to baked goods.

mushroom escargot and carrot butter

These are the best fancy toppings for toasted baguette slices, and pair together phenomenally.

Mushroom Escargot
2 tbs balsamic
1/4 cup red win
2 tbs minced garlic
1/2 cup wter
2 tbs olibe oil
1 tso groung tosemary
2 tsp brown mustard
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Puree all ingredients but mushrooms, until smooth. Marinate mushrooms overnight. Preheat broiler to highest setting. Place mushrooms and a couple spoonfuls of the marinade into a thin roasting pan, and broil 8 minutes or so.

Carrot Butter
3/4 lb carrots (1 large bunch), diced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup brazilnuts, macadamia, or cashew nuts
2 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut milk or almond milk

Sautee carrots until browned, cover, and cook until very soft and sweet. Puree all ingredients until smooth, adding salt and syrup to taste. Thin with almond milk if needed.

pancakes

These fluffy, lightly spiced pancakes are an easy morning treat. The spices, however, can be omitted to make traditional, plain American pancakes. For something beyond plain pancakes, I also recommend adding chopped bananas, pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips. It is best to leave these out of the batter until after the pancakes are poured on the griddle, when they are sprinkled on the uncooked pancake.

Different forms of the pancake can be seen throughout the world: France has crepes and galettes, South Asia makes poori, China has the boa bing, and Scotland has the drop-scone. One of the earliest known version of the pancake was made in the 4th century BCE in China, where they were popular due to their short preparation time. Pancakes later spread through the Middle East and made their way to Europe, where they evolved into the variety we see today. Now a classic American breakfast, the American pancake is most likely an alteration of the French crepe suzette, imported to America in the early 20th century. American pancakes, also called griddle cakes and flapjacks, were originally eaten with a sauce of butter, sugar, citrus juice, and liqueur, but this was superseded by the tradition of maple syrup.

Makes 8 4-5" (10-13cm) pancakes

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and/or ground clove

zest of 1 orange

1 cup almond milk

2 teaspoons ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup

2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl and stir in (careful not to over-stir or there will be too much gluten development; a few clumps are okay). If the batter is not runny enough to pour easily, add more milk one tablespoon at a time. The more liquid is added, the thinner the pancakes will be.

Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat (about 375F). You can tell if it's hot enough if you flick water on the pan and it immediately evaporates. Pour the batter onto the pan or scoop using a 1/4 measuring cup. Wait a few minutes until the edges start to look dry and the top is bubbly, then flip and cook for another few minutes, until browned. Serve immediately with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or sauteed bananas.

coconut-rum sautéed bananas

When bananas are cooked they caramelize, quickly turning from a practical fruit to an incredible dessert-worthy confection. Dipping them in a coconut-rum batter before sautéing adds extra texture and interest. These can be served for desert over coconut sorbet and drizzled with a caramel-rum sauce, or for breakfast over pancakes with syrup. If short on time or ingredients, the batter can be skipped entirely and the sliced bananas just thrown on the griddle and sautéed until browned and caramelized.

Makes about 4 small servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

2-3 ripe bananas

2 tablespoons flour (any kind works)

2-3 tablespoons coconut milk

1 tablespoon rum

1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

a dash each of nutmeg and allspice

1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar

1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Whisk together all ingredients besides the banana and coconut. Mix in the coconut and transfer to a long, shallow bowl. Slice the bananas lengthwise into about 3 pieces and coat in the batter. Sauté on medium heat on an oiled griddle for about 5 minutes on each side, or until browned and slightly soft.