greens, tofu and artichoke pie.

this pie is one of the most satisfying and crowd-pleasing dishes i've made in a while: healthy, flavorful, and filling. 

the key is knowing how to work with phyllo dough. i've always been intimidated by the thin, fragile sheets that seem to predictably crumble in my fingertips - that is, until i learned that all you need to do is let them thaw at room temperature for about 2 hours before cooking. defrosted phyllo sheets are way more workable and unlikely to fall apart in your hands. it also helps to have a sous chef at your side when layering the sheets atop each other.

this is the kind of pie to serve a non-vegan crowd. the mix of cumin, oregano, toasted pine nuts, and kalamata olives give it a nice kick, and the tofu nutritional yeast combo sufficiently bulks it up. i used swiss chard and arugula for this recipe, but any greens would work well. these ingredients bake inside a warm flaky crust that steams when you remove it from the oven. served it with a simple salad of little gems and tomatoes, it makes for a lovely late summer meal.

greens, tofu and artichoke pie

adapted from fat free vegan kitchen

1/2 red onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch swiss chard, chopped finely, stems and leaves separated

2 handfuls arugula or other green

1/2 pound extra-firm tofu

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. minced Kalamata olives

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

black pepper, to taste

1/2 can quartered artichokes, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

12 sheets phyllo dough, cut in half and thawed

oil in spray bottle

heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. once the oil is hot, sauté the onion, garlic, and chard stems for 3 minutes. add the chard greens and cook until they are completely wilted. set aside.

while the chard cooks, mash or finely chop the tofu. dump the tofu into a big mixing bowl, and add in the nutritional yeast, oregano, lemon juice, olives, cumin, artichokes, pine nuts, and the spinach mixture. mix well. salt and pepper to taste.

preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. lay a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet that is at least 8x8.

once the phyllo dough has been thawing at room temperature for at least an hour, unwrap the dough and cut it in half lengthwise. put half in the fridge, and set the other half beside the baking sheet.

lay a sheet of phyllo atop the parchment paper, spray it lightly with oil, and repeat the process until you have 6 sheets in the bottom of the pan. pour the spinach-tofu filling into the pan, spreading it to completely cover the phyllo. repeat the phyllo process, covering the filling with six more sheets, spraying each one lightly. spray the top sheet of phyllo.

put it in the oven and bake for about a half hour, until the top is lightly browned. cut into squares and enjoy!

palak tofu with fire-roasted tomatoes.

i've found it: my new favorite greens dish. while i would never dissuade you from my trying my earlier saag tofu recipe, this newer version comes together much quicker and with fewer ingredients, making it an ideal weeknight recipe. from start to finish, this dinner will take you no more than forty-five minutes to throw together. 

i piloted the recipe using spinach but look forward to trying it out with kale or chard next time around. serve with some rice, dal, and naan for a hearty, well-balanced meal.

palak tofu with fire-roasted tomatoes

adapted from pinch of yum

for the palak:

1 tablespoon oil

1 red onion, minced

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger

3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 14-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes, drained

1 huge carton of spinach or other greens (you can use as spinach as you want, but i would suggest no fewer than 8 handfuls)

1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

½ cup water

1 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper

for the tofu:

8 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and cubed

1 teaspoon oil

salt and pepper

prepare your tofu by first removing all of the excess water. you can do this by wrapping it in paper towels and setting a plate or something heavy on top of it for a couple of minutes. repeat as necessary until it feels firm and dry.

heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. once your oil is hot, toss in the cubed tofu and pan fry until lightly browned on both sides. when it’s cooked, add a pinch of salt and pepper, stir, and then dump into a small mixing bowl to cool (note: you could also do this step in advance to save time).

in the same skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. sauté the onion until soft, about 8 minutes. push the onion to the side of the pan and add the cumin seeds. stir the cumin seeds around in the middle for about a minute so they can crackle and pop.

add the garam masala, ground coriander, ginger and garlic. sauté everything together for 2-3 minutes. add the fire roasted tomatoes and sauté for another 5-10 minutes.

now add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, to the mixture. to help the leaves cook down, keep scooping the tomato mixture over the greens. when all of the spinach is cooked, add the fresh cilantro to the skillet. sauté for another couple of minutes.

transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor. pulse a few times until you get the desired consistency. I like mine mostly smooth with a few chunks (not pureed). return the mixture to the skillet, and stir in the water. add the salt, pepper, and tofu. simmer for 5-10 minutes. serve immediately.

red wine honey cake.

"it's been way too long since my last post" would be a severe understatement. rather than starting off by making excuses about my unannounced five month blogging sabbatical, i'll jump right to the chase (and save the excuses for my next post, which hopefully won't take another five months to publish).

the chase: make this cake!

red wine honey cake

from melissa clark

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons grams baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon grams salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon grams ground ginger

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups olive oil

1 cup of your best honey

3/4 cup dry red wine

place a rack in the middle of the oven; heat to 350 degrees. grease a 10-inch bundt pan, including center tube, if you have one. i just used a deep 9-inch square baking dish.

in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

in another large bowl, whisk eggs well. whisk in the sugar, oil, honey, and wine until well combined. whisk in your dry ingredients until smooth. pour the batter into pan and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes. remove from the dish and allow to finish cooling. slice and serve!

squash, pomegranate and hazelnut salad.

you can make this incredibly versatile dish with any squash or vegetables you have on hand. the sweetness of the pomegranate, the crunch of hazelnuts, and the bite of the dressing pretty much make the salad. 

salad with butternut squash, pomegranate and hazelnuts

adapted from food52

for the salad:

5 cups greens (i went with a mix of kale and spinach, but arugula and chard would work well too)

2 cups butternut squash, cubed

1 leek, just the white and light green parts, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cups pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1/2 cup cilantro

for the dressing:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

salt and pepper to taste

preheat the oven to 375 degrees. toss the squash and leeks in 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper on a baking sheet. the leeks and squash require different amounts of time to roast, so try to keep them separate on the sheet. roast the leeks for about 20 minutes and the squash for 30-35 minutes. check on the vegetables regularly and toss as needed to avoid burning.

while the veggies are roasting, place the hazelnuts in a shallow baking dish and toast them in the oven for 4-6 minutes (or until golden). alternatively, you can toast them dry in a pan on the stove top for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat. let the nuts cool, chop them roughly, and set aside.

make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, mustard, lemon, maple syrup, salt and pepper. in a large serving bowl, pour the dressing over the greens and them well with your hands until they are coated in the dressing and take on an almost wilted texture. add the pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts, and cilantro.

once the squash and leeks have finished roasting and have cooled for 10-15 minutes, add them to the salad. give the entire dish a big toss, add some salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

rustic apple galette.

preparing a crust from scratch is intimidating. there are so many unanswerables: how do you strike just the right level of buttery flakiness? what's the ideal baking temperature? how long should you cook it to ensure that the crust is cooked through but the toppings aren't charred?

luckily, this galette recipe - which beautifully accomodates both sweet and savory toppings - sidesteps many of the common challenges. it comes together easily and is ready to use on the spot. all you need is a food processor, 4 ingredients, and 15 minutes. 

i went with an apple topping this time for dessert, but if i were to venture into the savory world, i'd eagerly spring with some caramelized onions, chard, and goat cheese. 

rustic apple galette

from food and wine

dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup ice water

topping

4 apples

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey, preferably wildflower

in a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar and butter and process for about 5 seconds. sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and process until the pastry just begins to come together, about 10 seconds. you should still be able to see small pieces of butter in it. transfer the pastry to a work surface, gather it together and pat into a disk. if there are extra clumps that aren’t sticking, pat them into the dough and then wrap the pastry in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate until chilled.

halve and core the apples and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick. you can peel them if you want, but you don’t have to. in a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

preheat the oven to 400°. on a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. arrange the apple slices on top of the dough in concentric circles or in slightly overlapping rows. drizzle the honey and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the chopped apples. fold the pastry edge up and over the apples to create a 1-inch border.

bake the galette for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is lightly browned and crisp and all of the apples are tender. baking time will depend on the verocity of your oven! transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. serve warm or at room temperature.

maple pecan granola.

given just how many high quality granola options line the supermarket shelves, it had never occurred to me to go to the trouble of making my own batch of cereal. that is, until a few weeks ago when curiosity got the best of me and i wanted to see just how nature's path does it. 

this maple pecan granola recipe is a great gluten-free creation that you can throw together in under 10 minutes and bake for another 20. rather than relying on traditional rolled oats, it's made with uncooked quinoa, millet, and buckwheat groats (all of which are available in the bins at any health food store). the rest of the mix-ins are up for grabs: you can't go wrong with a combination of nuts and seeds, but i think some additional coconut flakes or chocolate chips would take things to the next level.

what i like about the final product is that it isn't overly sweet. rather than using sugar, the syrup comes from a blend of apple sauce, maple, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. the result is toastily fragrant and slightly clumpy. you can also increase the crispiness by baking it a few extra minutes. i've been enjoying it with my morning yogurt these days, but it would also make a fantastic ice cream topping or afternoon snack.

maple pecan granola

adapted from anja’s food for thought

2 cups of roasted buckwheat groats (kasha)

1/4 cup uncooked millet

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1/4 cup rolled oats (or gluten-free oats)

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup chopped cashews

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

preheat the oven to 160C/360F. line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

in a large mixing bowl, combine the kasha, millet, quinoa, almonds, pecans, cashews, sesame and sunflower seeds. set aside.

in a small pot, gently heat all the wet ingredients until a syrup forms. remove the pot from the heat and let the flavors merge for a few minutes. pour the wet over dry ingredients and stir until well coated.

transfer the mixture onto a baking sheet and spread out in single layer. bake for 20-30 minutes or until millet and quinoa seeds have turned golden and the kitchen smells like maple. let cool completely before storing in airtight container.

roasted delicata squash soup.

 i love so many things about autumn, from the changing foliage and holiday lights to the seasonal excuse to throw pumpkin and maple into just about everything. i also can't get enough of how many different kinds of winter squash abound at the farmer's market.

this is a great soup to use up any and all of those squash. i decided to go with delicatas for this version, but a pumpkin or acorn varietal would work just as well. this soup gets its depth of flavor from roasting the squash for a half hour before adding them to the pot. it also has a soothing, creamy texture thanks to a simple homemade cashew cream. below is the minimalist recipe you can start out with, but feel free to add in additional spices and herbs as desired. and of course, as with most soups, it tastes even better the day after once all of the flavors have spent some time melding.

roasted delicata squash soup

adapted from veganyumyum

3 delicata squash

1 tbsp oil for roasting


1 onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

for the cashew cream:

1 cup raw, unsalted cashews

1 cup vegetable broth

preheat oven to 400º F.

chop the ends off the squash. halve them and scrape out the seeds. place on a baking sheet cut-side down and brush lightly with oil. bake for 30-40 minutes until they are tender. flip them midway through if you need to prevent burning.

meanwhile, make your cashew cream. throw the cashews and brothin the blender and blend! let the blender run for 1-2 minutes until very, very smooth. set cream aside. 

remove squash from the oven.

in a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. add the squash and using a spatula, break up the squash into chunks. add 4 cups of veggie broth. bring to a boil then turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes, covered.

using an immersion blender, blend away. add half of the cashew cream and blend until very smooth. season with salt and more pepper.

serve in bowls and top with some fresh basil and a drizzle of cashew cream if you want. 

beginner stir fry.

i had the honor last year of helping dr. maya adam teach an undergraduate level class in child nutrition at stanford. the class involved 1 lecture and 1 cooking class each week. students learned everything from how to chop garlic to how to make crepes. the goal was to show them how easy (and not scary) cooking can be. this stir fry was one of my favorite dishes we learned to make. it has since become a staple in my kitchen.

stir fries are definitely my go to dish when i'm cooking for myself or one other person. i like to vary the vegetables and the sauce, and am always amazed how little tweeks lead to be big changes in flavor and texture. this particular combination could not be easier or quicker. it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. throw some garlic, ginger, and onion into a hot pan. add the veggies. top with herbs and sesame seeds. consume.

if you're new to the world of stir frying, this dish is an unintimidating and delicious place to start. and if you're a veteran sauteer looking for some new flavors, plum sauce may just become your new favorite ingredient.

beginner stir fry

inspired by maya adam’s just cook

1/2 onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon olive or sesame oil

1 head broccoli, chopped in florets

1/2 yellow pepper, cut into strips

1/2 red pepper, cut into strips

1 cup shitake mushrooms

1 zucchini, diced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup plum sauce

fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup sesame seeds

in a skillet or nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over medium high. once hot, add onion, garlic, and ginger. they should sizzle when they hit the pan. cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until the onion starts to turn translucent.

add the rest of the vegetables and spread evening around the pan. let them sit and sear for 2-3 minutes before tossing. stir and cook for another 7-10 minutes until they are almost done.

whisk together the plum and soy sauces. add sauces to the pan and give it a toss so it coats the vegetables. cook for another 2-3 minutes until veggies are done. add a dash of ground pepper and cilantro. 

serve atop quinoa or your favorite grain. sprinkle with sesame seeds.