Vegan Indian Cashew Swiss Chard, Kale or Spinach–A Rich Luscious Feast of a Dish

Indian Cashew SpinachYield: 4 to 6 servings

[If you want to skip the back story, simply click HERE for the recipe on One Green Planet.]

Somehow, my planning hadn’t been very good, as we were about to leave town for five days and I had two bunches of hardy Red Russian Kale and 1 of beautiful rainbow Swiss Chard in our fridge.

Knowing it wouldn’t keep, I thought about making a pesto to freeze, but lately I have been Jonesin’ for Indian food big-time.  So, I decided that if I made a very thick  saag without anything that doesn’t freeze perfectly, like coconut milk, I could pop it in the freezer and enjoy when we returned home.

Not only did it freeze beautifully, but it tasted wonderful before and after freezing with a texture to match!

This amount of greens and onions sounds like a mountain, but it only makes 4 to 6 servings because I chop the greens so finely and it all cooks down significantly.

I served this Indian Cashew Spinach over grilled tempeh, but it would be good over cooked Basmati rice or with just about anything, including a spoon!

For the recipe, visit my pals at One Green Planet by clicking HERE.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: OGP has recently gone through a website redesign, are aware that advertisements sometimes prevent folks from accessing recipes and are working to remedy the situation.  PLEASE, if you experience this, let me know via comment or email and I will send you the recipe directly as well as let them know.  The last thing I want is to put this much effort into recipes only to find out that interested cooks can’t access them.  Thanks so much!)

A Perfect and Perfectly Light Spring Lunch: Vegan Spinach Quesadillas with Local Strawberry-Spring Onion Salsa

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Here in Eastern coastal Virginia spring has sprung and the Pungo Strawberry Festival is a thing of the past.  But, I hope wherever you live, you still have access to fresh local strawberries and spring onions… or perhaps you aren’t the stickler for seasonal ingredients that I tend to be. 🙂

There were some delays getting this recipe published on One Green Planet because they questioned the quality of the photo, and rightly so.  Earlier this spring, I came home from yoga and the farmer’s market one Saturday, whipped this dish up for lunch, and it was so tasty that I hastily snapped a photo of it despite less than optimum lighting conditions.  After reviews and a protracted email exchange–all necessary for quality control–we decided to just go with it in the end.  But, alas, by then it was summer!

Sure, I could retake the photo, but I’d have to buy the strawberries and spinach out of season.  For now, we’ll leave it as is with my apologies for the quality of the photo but no apologies for the recipe which I think you will love…now or next spring!

Click HERE for my beautiful and simple recipe.

 

Vegan Gratin of Carmelized Onion and Fresh Fennel, White Beans, and Kale (Non-vegan Husband-Approved!

Yield: 4 main dish servings or 6-8 side dish servings.

This is rustic, yet healthy, comfort food–just the kind of food I crave in winter.

You can call this delectable melange a side dish or a  main dish but, regardless, just call me when it’s ready!

 

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium-large onion, halved and cut into 1/2-inch silvers

1 medium-large fennel bulb, halved, cored, and cut into 1/3-inch slivers

Sea salt to taste

1 tablespoon vegan butter (I use Earth Balance, but you could substitute olive oil)

1/2 to 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1-15.5 ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups finely chopped fresh kale (I use the food processor for this task)

1/4 cup minced fresh fennel fronds (I use the food processor for this task too)

Freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray an 9-inch ceramic baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Pour one generous tablespoon of olive oil into a large roasting pan.  Add onion, fennel, and a generous pinch of salt, toss well to coat, and roast for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10, until onion and fennel have developed some nice golden color.  (Note: if you don’t want to wait this long, boost the oven temperature to 450 degrees and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 and watching closely).  While vegetables roast, make breadcrumbs: in a one-quart saucepan or small skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add crumbs, toss to coat, and continue cooking and stirring until lightly golden brown.  Remove the pan from the heat.  When the onion and fennel have caramelized, remove the pan from the oven and stir in the white beans followed by the kale and fennel fronds.  Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season to taste with additional sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  Spoon into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle evenly with crumbs, and bake just until heated through and crumbs are rich golden-brown, about 15 minutes.

Vegan Kale Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Figs and Dates Topped with Smoked Almonds

Yield: 8 servings

This beautiful and healthful salad was inspired by one that my close friend, Yvette Hetrick, makes with fresh figs caramelized in orange balsamic.  Ever since she shared the idea for her dish with me, I had wanted to make a version for Thanksgiving.

When Yvette and her husband, Randy, lived in VA Beach (they live in Sausalito now), we used to start co-planning in earnest for our respective feasts as soon as the November culinary magazines hit the stands.  And afterwards, we would pool our leftovers for a potluck dinner following a long beach-state park hike with all of our dogs in tow.  She and I both miss that tradition so much.

Undeterred by the lack of fresh figs and orange balsamic in VA Beach, I plunged ahead using two kinds of dried figs, adding some dates for good measure, and substituting pomegranate balsamic vinegar which was readily available at our local Kroger and sounded very fitting for the holiday.

After marinating the figs and dates all day, I turned over their caramelization to our nephew, Curt Lindelow, a partner and manager of a Bonefish Grill in South Carolina, who knows his way around a kitchen.  He did a beautiful job unsupervised by me and even recommended additional dressing, which was on point.  The following recipe reflects our combined efforts.

8 dried Kalamata figs, stems snipped, and the figs sliced into 3 pieces each

8 Mission figs, stems snipped, and sliced in half lengthwise

8 dates, pitted, and sliced in half lengthwise

6 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

4-2 inch sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon yellow or Dijon mustard

1/3 cup smoked almonds plus a few more for garnish

8 cups shredded fresh kale (I fold the leaves lengthwise, cut out the stems with kitchen shears, and pulse the kale in a couple of batches in a food processor fitted with a metal blade)

Several hours or the day before you plan to serve the salad, place figs and dates in a shallow dish (I use a ceramic 5 x 9-inch loaf pan).  Whisk together the vinegar and oil and pour it over the fruit.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then add rosemary and garlic.  Stir to combine.  Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature.

Just before serving time, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add the fruit and all of the marinade and cook down, slightly caramelizing, for about 7 minutes. Whisk in the mustard.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.  Place the shredded kale in a serving bowl and pour the contents of the skillet directly over the kale.  Toss to evenly distribute the fruit and dressing.  Add smoked almonds, toss lightly again, and serve the salad immediately garnished with a few more smoked almonds if desired.

Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna with Smokey Marinara Sauce and “Ricotta” with Kale Pesto

Yield: 4 servings

Just in time for Thanksgiving, I finally got serious about a challenge long before me: a perfect butternut squash lasagna!

Every time I think about making a butternut squash lasagna–and there have been many times over the years!–I never end up doing it because I can’t make up my mind about whether or not to include mushrooms and/or spinach, whether to go with a bechamel or a tofu “ricotta” layer, whether or not to give in and incorporate some purchased vegan cheese (of which I’m not a big fan), in what order the layers should go, and on and on.  All of the possibilities just short-out my circuits.

But, recently, I had an already peeled and ready-to-cook butternut squash in the fridge from our farmer’s market, some lasagna noodles, and a fresh batch of my Smokey Kale Pesto.  The kale pesto made it easy to decide how to incorporate the greens–into a tofu “ricotta” layer–which also answered the bechamel vs. “ricotta” question.  And since I didn’t have any mushrooms on hand, the rest just sort of fell into place.

This beautiful golden lasagna stacks up high but holds together beautifully to cut.  Acidic fire-roasted tomatoes prevent it from being overly sweet.  And the creamy ricotta layer receives a major flavor boost and a hint of color from the pesto.  Since I make this bright green pesto with smoked almonds, I added a little smoked paprika to the marinara to marry the flavors.  Because of these smokey notes, fire-roasted tomatoes are perfect.

Ultimately, I opted for no purchased vegan cheese, so I just sprinkled my beloved nutritional yeast over the marinara as the last layers.  But then, not wanting the top to seem dry and wanting one final burst of fall flavors, I sauteed some fresh sage leaves and roasted pepitas in olive oil, drizzling the leaves, nuts, and sage-infused olive oil over the top of the lasagna before serving.

Wow!  The results were worth all the years of waiting!

Though it’s a little different, this dish would be a beautiful and welcome addition to even the most traditional of holiday feasts.  Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Note: To make this lasagna ultra-easy to put together, I like to prepare the various parts a day in advance.  The pesto can even be made a couple of days in advance, as the lemon juice will keep it bright green.

For my recipe, head over to One Green Planet with one easy click HERE!  It seems to be very popular among OGP readers and I hope all of you, as well!

 

 

 

Vegan Acorn Squash Stuffed with Creamy Brown Rice and Greens Stovetop Casserole

Yield: 4 servings

[Funny note about this photo:  this post published before I was ready–not sure what key I inadvertently hit–so, since I couldn’t figure out how to revert it to a “draft,” I had to photograph the dish in the midst of Hurricane Sandy as I never post without a photo!  It’s pretty overcast outside, rainy, and chilly–too dark to photograph inside where I normally do–so still in my PJs, I dashed outside into the drizzle and wind to snag a pretty fall leaf for color, and then stood in the blustery doorway for some daylight, holding the squash aloft, and hoping the photography gods were on my side.   I guess it turned out respectably, no?]

Note: though filling acorn squash with this casserole makes for a beautiful presentation and a fun dining experience, the casserole is plenty tasty enough to simply serve in a gratin dish or bowl. 

I seem to be on a roll with humble beginnings lately.  This tasty and comforting dish–simple but pretty enough for company–was inspired by acorn squash that I had cooked a few days ago, but never eaten.  I had been planning to stuff them, but couldn’t decide with what.  But then, my husband and I went to dinner at Yard House in VA Beach for date night last Wednesday.  Neither of us are big starch eaters, so when he left his rice virtually uneaten on his plate, I asked the server to wrap it up along with all of the left-over greens from my very dull salad.  (I had eaten the cucumber and shredded carrots off of it, but that was about all–thank goodness for the very tasty hummus appetizer!)

So, absolutely starving yesterday after my morning yoga class, I remembered all of these ingredients, along with the coconut milk in the fridge leftover from my Spicy Vegan “Beef,” Zucchini, and Pumpkin Chili).  And, in just a few minutes, this mouth-watering dish was born.  It doesn’t have a lot of protein, yet it is filling.  So, I would probably enjoy it with a glass of soymilk and call it a meal.

2 acorn squash (about 1 pound each), cut in half horizontally, seeds and membrane removed with a spoon

1 tablespoon olive oil + additional for oiling baking dish and basting squash

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Sea salt

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups mixed greens, large leaves torn if necessary (e.g. baby spinach, arugula, etc.)

Approximately 1/2 cup coconut milk (or other vegan creamer with a low sugar content)

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked brown rice

Garnish: approximately 12 smoked almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet.  Place squash halves, cut side up, in a roasting pan.  Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle very lightly with sea salt.  Roast in the center of the oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender, yet still firm enough to hold its shape.

After about 30 minutes of roasting, begin casserole.  In a large skillet (cast iron is always be preference), heat tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering.  Add onion and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes or until onion is softened.  Add garlic and saute, stirring, another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add greens and saute, stirring, until wilted, but still bright green, about 2  minutes or so.  Stir  in coconut milk, black pepper, and cooked rice.  Check for salt and stir in more if necessary.  Continue cooking, lowering heat if necessary, until flavors marry and mixture is heated through.  Add additional coconut milk if necessary to reach desired consistency, which should be quite thick, like an oven-baked casserole.  When squash has finished cooking, fill each half with one-fourth of the casserole.  Garnish each with 3 smoked almonds and serve immediately.

Vegan Black Bean and Pecan Butter Sauce over Grilled Eggplant and Sauteed Spinach

Yield: 4 servings

How exciting to share this recipe with you via my good pals at One Green Planet!  Just click HERE for this unforgettable recipe!

I thought of this special recipe recently as our 22nd (!) anniversary approached and we were expecting dinner guests.  This sauce was the star component in the first meal on which Joe and I collaborated for dinner guests as a newly married couple.  And I can almost guarantee you have never had anything like it!

The sauce recipe came from a culinary magazine but, sadly, I don’t know which one, as I recopied the recipe and–shame on me–uncharacteristically did not credit the source.  But I did write “Out of this world!” at the top.  And it still is.

The only change I made to the original  recipe was to substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and vegan butter for the dairy variety in addition to using about 30%(!)  less.  We have served it over a variety of things, but this brand new combination was so tasty and so pretty that I wanted to share it with all of you.

So be sure to head over to One Green Planet…you won’t want to miss this one!

Vegan Chorizo, Apple, and Chickpeas with Fresh Kale and Cashew Sauce

Yield: 4 servings (you may have left over Kale Sauce)

Now that school is back in session for the year, my schedule is dramatically different.  So, I have a bit less time to cook, photograph, and post.  But, as has been the case since the launch of The Blooming Platter several years ago, I plan to offer you delicious new recipes right here several times a week with only the occasional hiatus, as in the last week or so.

We had open house at school late one night last week, my 22nd(!) anniversary was Saturday, I had a book-signing at our fabulous “Farm to Fork” event sponsored by Buy Fresh Buy Local Hampton Roads, and then I caught a cold.  Whew!  At any rate, I hope you’ll agree that this one was worth waiting for!

This Spanish-inspired dish is so pretty with its warm golden stew-like base and it’s fresh green sauce.  And the flavors complement each other perfectly: the spicy chorizo offset and cooled just a bit by the fresh kale sauce, made rich and creamy with buttery cashews.  The sweet-tart apples temper the heat of the chorizo, as well, creating a beautifully balanced fall dish that goes together in a snap.  I like to serve it as tapas, but no one would take issue with a big bowl of it!

For the simple recipe, just click on over to One Green Planet who generously shares a bounty of Blooming Platter recipes with their readers. Thanks OGP!

 

Vegan Mediterranean Kale Salad with Lentils, Red Onion, Orange Bell Pepper and Sunflower Seeds with Sumac Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

I don’t need much of an excuse to create new kale recipes.  But I actually did have a good one: school started Monday with an in-service week for teachers and I needed something healthy and filling to pack for lunch.

I create this salad on Sunday–inspired by my foodie friend Trish Pfeifer’s love of sumac (this was the first time I ever cooked with it and I’m now a fan)–and took it a couple of days ago to share with my art teacher colleages, Mylinda McKinney and Sara Reich,.  They loved it!

Mylinda had brought boiled peanuts and fresh cherries, so we pooled our resources for a quirky but delicious and nutritious–not to mention brightly colored–school lunch.

Salad:

Approximately 9 ounces of steamed lentils (I purchase them at Trader Joe’s in the produce department)

1/2 cup diced red onion (you can soak for about 20-30 minutes in unsweetened soymilk to remove a little of their peppery bite if you choose)

1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice (a yellow or red bell pepper would be just fine)

4 lightly packed cups kale, very finely chopped (I use a food processor for this task)

1/2 cup roasted and lightly salted sunflower seeds

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sumac Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon ground sumac (found in Middle Eastern/Mediterranean markets)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch sea salt

Pinch garlic powder

Combine all salad ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a small cup or bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients.  Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to distribute dressing.  Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, and serve chilled.

Note: I think some diced plump dried apricots would be a lovely addition to this dish; maybe a half cup or so.

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