Saturday, May 11, 2013

Curried Chickpea Balls

 
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 small yellow onion, chopped
¼ cup chopped peanuts
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tsp curry powder
¼ tsp cayenne
Salt
3 Tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground coriander
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegan yogurt
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley


Cook the chickpeas, place them in a bowl and blot dry. Use a potato ricer to mash the chickpeas. Add about half of the chopped onion, the peanuts, ginger, cilantro, 1 tsp of the curry powder, ⅛ tsp of the cayenne, and salt to taste. Mix well, then shape into 1-inch balls. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet and brown the balls on all sides. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet. Add the remaining onion and brown lightly. Add the garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander, the remaining 1 tsp curry powder, the remaining ⅛ tsp cayenne, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes, to blend the flavors. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the yogurt. Carefully add the chickpea balls to the sauce, and warm over low heat without boiling. Serve garnished with parsley.

Serves 4



From Robin Robertson, Vegan Fire & Spice

Friday, May 3, 2013

Menu for Chandra's Retreat




Friday Dinner

Coconut Curried Blue Hubbard Squash Soup with Roasted Garlic

Indian Roti (gluten free)


Basmati Rice, Saag (kale), Mango Relish

Spiced Potato Salad and Many Beans salad

Fresh Greens with salad dressing (nuts)

Chai Tea (caffeine free)

 

Saturday Lunch

Sunchoke Bisque (Fresh bread, butter, margarine)

Gluten free Pain de Campagne, Wild Leek Pesto



Ellen’s Kale Potato Balls


Greens, White Miso Salad dressing, pickle beans, cheddar, nuts

Gluten free sage cookies

Wild Peppermint Tea



Saturday Dinner

Miso Soup (Fresh bread, rice crackers, pesto)

Saffron White Basmati Rice (seaweed Gomasio)

Broccoli stir-fry

Nori Rolls, dipping sauce, wasabi, pickle ginger



Tamari almonds, roasted sunflowers and pumpkin seeds

Mint and Calendula Flower Tea



Sunday Lunch

Leftover soup

Quinoa casserole, leftovers

Pesto, vegan cheese...

Greens with leftover dressings

Devilish Eggs, sharp cheddar, nuts, leftover salads

Blackberry Apple Lattice Pie with gluten free crust, Bee Balm Tea

Friday, August 10, 2012

Quinoa-Sorrel Salad

                             Quinoa-Sorrel Salad

If you find yourself thinking about pasta salad, why not think quinoa salad? It's quite nutritious, it takes no more than 15 minutes to cook, and it has a delicate consistency that takes well to vinaigrettes. In this salad, quinoa joins up with fresh sorrel, red onion, tomato, and feta cheese, and is then tossed in a light balsamic dressing. If you're wary about eating uncooked sorrel, you may be glad to know that it has been enjoyed as a salad green for many years in England. But use arugula instead, if you prefer.

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1½ cups quinoa
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil, to taste
3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small bunch sorrel (or arugula), stemmed and cut into julienne strips
1 cup thinly slices red onion
1 ripe tomato, chopped
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup crumbles feta cheese or any tangy goat cheese (optional)
Mixed salad greens (I like to combine sorrel, watercress, Italian parsley. and red-leaf lettuce)

                                                                    ***********


1: put the quinoa into a fine-meshed seive, and rinse the grain will under cold water for 1 minute to extract the bitter saponins. Let the quinoa drain for 2 minutes.

2: Heat a skillet  with a lid over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the quinoa. Cook it, stirring often with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes or until the quinoa smells toasted. Add the water and ½  teaspoon salt. Bruing the mizture to a boil, cober the pan, and reduce the hat tolow. Let the quinoa ocok for 15 minutes.

3: While the quinoa cooks, combine the balsamic cinegar and remaining oli in a large bowl. Add the sorrel ro aruula, the red onlin, and the tomato. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.

4: When the quinoa is cooked, add it to the vegetables and vinaigrette. Toss well, add the feta and all more salt and pepper, if you like. Chill the salad, or serve it warm. Either way, serve it on a bed of mixed salad greens.

Serves 4




Monday, June 18, 2012

Wilted Spinach Salad with Marinated Onions in Mustard Seed Dressing

makes 4 servings:

Marinated Onions:
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or Nama Shoyu
Pinch black pepper

Mustard Seed Dressing:
1 tablespoon soft dates or 1 tablespoon agave syrup, maple syrup, or honey
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Salad:
8 cups of spinach
2 carrots, julienned
Pinch ground black pepper

Instructions:
To marinate onions, combine onions with vinegar, Bragg Liquid Aminos, and black pepper. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the salad.

To make the dressing, if you're using dates, soak them in 2 tablespoons of water for 5 minutes or until soft. Mash together the dates and water until it becomes a thick syrupy paste. Pour syrup, vinegar, oil, mustard seeds, and salt in a small bowl and mix well.

For salad, place spinach and julienned carrots in a large bowl. Pour in marinated onions, including the marinade. Toss with Mustard Seed Dressing.

To serve, top tossed salad with a pinch or two of black pepper. Set aside for five minutes or more to allow time for wilting. Or if you're like me and can't wait, it's okay to eat right away.

Salad mix will keep for one day, dressing will keep for three to four days, and marinated onions will keep for one day in the fridge when each are stored separately.

This salad is a total winner, it's very simple yet extremely tasty....
 -Lydia

Monday, June 4, 2012

Menu for Anjali's Mother Daughter Yoga Retreat



This outstanding retreat, with Anjali and Kathy from the Yoga Mountain Center, was a joy to cook for with all our stored food from last year (carrots, beets, squash, garlic, beans, corn, etc.) and all that's new in our gardens, fields and woods (greens of all kinds, herbs, flowers, fresh mushrooms, even spruce shoots!). It was inspiring to cook for those amazing woman - mothers and daughters - and it made me even more conscious and grateful for the joy of cooking and working with my own three daughters. I even had the blessing of my mother joining us for the first meal of the retreat!

Friday Dinner 
Carrot and lovage freshly pressed juice
Stinging Nettle Soup
Fresh bread from a local bakery
Basil pesto, fresh goat cheese
Cornbread (with apple sauce)
Mixed Sky Meadow Bean Salad 
     with Balsamic Dressing
Greens, White Miso Sorrel Salad Dressing
Pickle beans, cheddar, nuts
Sage Cookies, Wild Peppermint Tea

Saturday Lunch 
Miso Soup   
Fresh bread, rice crackers, Wild Garlic pesto
Saffron White Basmati Rice, Kale stir-fry
Nori Rolls, dipping sauce, wasabi, pickle ginger
Tamari almonds, roasted sunflowers and pumpkin seeds
Chai Tea (caffeine free and with caffeine)

Saturday Dinner  
Tempeh, Stuffed squash with brown and wild rice pilaf
Spruce Shoot Compote, Quinoa and Sorrel Salad
Greens, Raspberry Dressing, leftover dressings
Mint and Calendula Flower Tea

Sunday Lunch 
Sorrel  Soup
Chick Pea Crêpe, Bread
Couscous gratiné, leftovers
Pesto, Goat Cheese
Greens, leftover dressings
Deviled Eggs, sharp cheddar, nuts, leftover salads
Pumpkin Bread pudding, Bee Balm Tea
 


Thank you Juli for the pictures!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Garlic-Olive-Caper Spread "Tapenade"


1 cup Niçoise or Greek olives, rinsed and pitted
2 tablespoons capers
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2-1 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11/2-2 cups stemmed parsley

Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, blend all of the ingredients until the tapenade is just smooth enough to spread without becoming a paste. Tapenade will keep a week in the refrigerator and the flavor will intensify with age.

Makes 11/2 to 2 cups


From "Sundays At Moosewood Restaurant".

Almesan

This is a vegan substitute for Parmesan.


1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Combine ALL the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until everything turns to tiny crumbs. That's it!

Makes 1/3 cup

From "VEGANOMICON"