Walnut Cake with Lemon Glaze

Cake
½ cup butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
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⅓ cup plain yogurt
⅓ cup kefir (or additional ⅓ cup yogurt)
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2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
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1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon rind
1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Glaze
¾ cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Dash of ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350°.

For the cake, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and then mix in the eggs. Blend the yogurt with the buttermilk. Sift together the dry ingredients and add them alternately with the yogurt mixture into the egg mixture. Stir in the lemon rind and walnuts.

Pour the batter into a buttered 9x13-inch baking pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. The cake should still be moist.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by simmering together all the ingredients, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven, turn the oven off, pour the glaze over the hot cake, and return it to the oven for about 10 minutes. Cut the cake into squares and serve it warm or cool with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.


Adapted from:

Heidi’s vegetable marinade

¾ cup flax oil (or olive oil)
½ cup lemon or lime juice
2 Tbsp tamari or Bragg’s
½ tsp black pepper
Optional: minced parsley, toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds

Use as marinade for steamed broccoli or green beans or cooked cubed beets.

Oven Fries

4 medium large potatoes
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp. rosemary (optional)
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 500°. Scrub the potatoes and cut them into strips. Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle with the oil and seasonings. Toss to mix. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet or pan and bake, uncovered, until tender, about 25 min.

Roasted root vegetable marinade

2 part olive oil
1 part tamari or Bragg’s
1 part balsamic vinegar
Black pepper and herbs/spices (basil, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme)

Whisk until mixed. Pour over cut roots in large bowl & stir to coat. Spread on baking pans, cook ~ 1h. At 400°, stirring every 20 min. to prevent sticking.

Squash Flowers Soup

3 Tbsp butter
1 small onion
1-2 garlic
3 dozen squash blossoms
3 cups broth
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper

Melt butter, onion, garlic. Add flowers. When soft, add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 min. Blend, add milk and seasonings.

Split Pea Soup

1 lb (2¼-2½  cups) green split peas
7-9 cups water
2 medium onions
¼ cup oil or butter
3-5 tsp. tamari
2 tsp. parsley
1½ tsp. sea salt
1-2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. each: basil, oregano, mint leaves
½  tsp. each: thyme and kelp
¼ tsp. each: marjoram and savory
Optional: 1-2 potatoes and/or carrots—chopped small and presteamed

Cook split peas and water 1½ to 1¾ hours on medium until peas totally dissolve into the liquid. Then add the onions, herbs. veg. Cook medium-to-low heat 20-25 min.

Spicy Bulgarian Tomato Dumpling Soup

Soup
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (or drained canned tomatoes)
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2-3 teaspoons hot chili powder
1 tablespoons unbleached white flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable stock, tomato juice, or water

Dumplings
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, separated
¼ cup quick-cooking couscous
¼ cup boiling water
¾ cup unbleached white flour, sifted
¼teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh dill weed (1 teaspoon dried)
⅓ cup milk or vegetable stock
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Chopped fresh parsley
Grated sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften. Add the tomatoes and cook until the onions are golden and the tomatoes soft.

Stir in the chili powder, flour, salt, and pepper and mix well to coat the vegetables evenly. Pour in the stock slowly while whisking diligently to completely dissolve the flour. Coarsely blend the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it gently for 20 to 30 minutes.

While the soup simmers, prepare the dumplings. Cream the butter with the egg yolks until smooth. Place the couscous in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the couscous, cover the bowl with a plate or pot lid, and allow it to steam for 5 minutes. Add the steamed couscous and the flour, salt, dill, and milk or stock to the butter mixture and blend well. In a separated bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold them into the couscous mixture.

Drop the dumpling batter into the simmering soup by rounded tablespoons and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes. The dumplings will rise to the top; scoop one out and test it to be sure it is thoroughly cooked.


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