Red Beans and Coconut Rice – Under Pressure
Pressure cooking can really save time and make it easier to avoid heating up the kitchen -- so necessary in the hot summer and really, at any time of year, who wants to spend extra time cooking? This recipe with its West Indian flair makes the best use of it, turning a rice dish into a hearty meal in itself or a great accompaniment to other foods. Rather than standard red beans, try the Salvadorean frijoles rojo de seda, which are actually silky in texture as the name suggest...
We Tried 4 Vegan Matzo Ball Recipes and Here’s the Results
Rarely are the absence of eggs a hurdle in our world. Cakes and baked goods are fine without them as are pancakes and other treats. Even macaroons are well served with aquafaba. But oh those matzo balls. Try using a mix with your standard egg replacers and you'll quickly discover they will disintegrate in the boiling water or soup.Still we were determined. A few internet searches and we came up with three four recipes worth trying (the fourth was added recently and we're glad we did!). As an ...
Peach Chutney, Sweet and Spicy
August is peach season here, luscious peaches drippy with sweet juicy tang and flavor that makes you think of falling in love. Ok, it's a fruit but still.These fruits are fleeting. Ripe peaches don't keep long and if you have a tree or bought the 1/2 bushel size on whim, well then, chutney comes in handy. It's not too difficult and is incredibly delish, especially with warming curries once the winter sets in again or the old standbys like ice cream or toast with oat butter.
Kidney Comfort: Hearty Rajma for a Cold Wet Winter
We're still grateful that Rajma, that rich kidney bean curry that hails from the Punjab, came up on our food radar some years ago. Rajma is rarely on menus at Indian restaurants here in the States which is a shame, because it’s super delicious. Loaded with warming and healing spices, it’s comfort food particularly suited to winter, especially the cold, wet ones. We stumbled upon it because we were after something beyond kidney beans in hearty Southwestern bean chilis and ...
Peach Upside-Down Cake for an Upturned World
You don't need to read a food blog to know things are more than a little out of kilter these days. Pandemic, societal upheaval, economic devastation, politics, hurricanes, blazing fires, intense heat and more can make us forget about crises of years past (like environmental collapse and the largest refugee crises humanity has known).Face it, we need cake!We agree, peaches are delicious eaten fresh, juicy and sweet all on their own. We've been downing them daily this way for weeks. Plus ...
Creamy Rutabaga Pie with Cauliflower, Peas and Tempeh Bacon – Vegan, Gluten-Free and Even Keto
Stuck at home, we received a box of vegetables from a friend and it included 5 rutabagas. Now this vegetable isn't high on people's list and frankly, all we could think of was roasted rutabaga. Sure it's tasty but how many times can we eat the same thing? Even though rutabagas are a great storage veggie, there's a boredom limit and it was reached. Then I recalled seeing rutabaga being used for veggie noodles, sliced thin with a vegetable peeler or mandoline, and boiled for three ...
Crusty Artisan Bread -Tweaking Jim Lahey’s Method
Artisan bread in minutes was a thing years ago, creating a sensation and bringing fresh-baked bread to ordinary home cooks who didn't have all day. Then, Jim Lahey, the owner of NYC Sullivan Street Bakery, made things even easier, with the technique of using a covered dutch oven to create a crispy crust in an ordinary home oven. This version tweaks his basic recipe a bit. I add a little rye (or whole wheat) flour so the flavor isn't so white and omit several steps (like the ...
Savory Red Lentil and Garbanzo Cakes
In the mood for something tasty yet unusual? Staring at those pantry items and stumped about what to make? Somewhat like a falafel (but not fried), these delicious patties are inexpensive to prepare and form the basis for a quick lunch or an elegant dinner. We love the fact that they use two core food storage ingredients -- garbanzos and lentils -- too.Try the cakes served over a light and spicy tomato chutney or with some cilantro, lemon and sesame almond pesto. Once ...
Vegan Lentil Walnut Pate: Perfect Party Food
This is the perfect party food plus it's good for you!Did you know that walnuts, which even look like little brains, are really good for your brain function? Yep, true. The Omega-3 fatty acids, among other nutrients, support good brain health and with dementia a growing public health threat, we need all the healthy brains we can get.This walnut-lentil pate, which even meat lovers will praise, makes brain food a delicious treat all year-round and is yet another recipe that makes use of ...
Nostalgic Vegan Chestnut Mushroom Stuffing
With Thanksgiving almost here, it's time to think about those traditional foods that say holiday celebration. Even without a turkey, stuffing (aka dressing) is one of our staples, along with cranberry sauce, yams, greens, gravy and pies. Make Thanksgiving Great (Again).This one, from the family meal of the 1960s, is full of mushrooms, chestnuts and other delicious flavors which, when eaten with some homemade cranberry sauce, creates nostalgia on the plate. While my ancestors origina...