Spicy* Turmeric Pickled Cauliflower

Recipe from Chef Reilly Meehan (Instagram)
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 2 (1 quart) Mason Jars

These spicy turmeric cauliflower pickles are just lovely. They will keep for a few weeks in the fridge.  Make a batch today so you’ll have a little flavor pop with your meals. 

1 head cauliflower (I used ½ head purple and ½ head orange.)
1¼ cup white vinegar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 serrano peppers, sliced (I used one so that it wouldn’t be too spicy for the hubster.  You can also remove the seeds and the membranes to remove some of the heat.)
1 inch piece ginger, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon peppercorns 
½ -1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used ½ teaspoon.) 
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1-2 teaspoons turmeric (I used 1 teaspoon because turmeric flavor can be a bit strong.)

Place all ingredients (except cauliflower) into a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn to low and steep for 10 minutes.
Cut the cauliflower head into bite-sized chunks then place into a pickling jar, layering with the ginger, garlic and serrano pepper(s) from the pickling liquid. 
Pour the hot liquid over the cauliflower.  If the cauliflower is not covered with liquid, just add a bit of water to the jar until they are. Allow to sit at room temp for 30 minutes before popping on the lid. They will be ready to eat the next day and will get better the longer they “pickle” in the fridge.
Store the jars in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
 

Asian-Style Salad Dressing (Vegan, Oil-Free)

Here's a fantastic salad using the Asian-Style Salad Dressing
served along with baked tofu and pesto.

Here are the ingredients for a great salad
(ingredients listed below the dressing recipe)
all prepped and ready to toss with the Asian-Style Salad Dressing 
(pictured in the jar on the left.)

Recipe from Ellie Likes Cooking

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Servings: 6

Well, this was just fantastic, good enough for company.  I highly recommend using all of the “optional” add-ins. This dressing will make any salad sing.

Ingredients
1 small carrot, chopped
½ small onion, chopped (I used ½ of a red onion.)
1 garlic clove
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
3 Tablespoon tahini
2-4 Tablespoon soy sauce (I used 2 Tablespoons soy sauce + 1 Tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.)
¼ cup rice vinegar
Water, as needed to thin

Optional Add-ins
1 tbsp date paste, maple syrup, or other sweetener (I used 1 pitted date.)
½ inch knob of ginger (I used 1 Tablespoon minced ginger from a jar.)
1 teaspoon white miso
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of black pepper

Instructions
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend to your desired consistency.  Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time in order to thin out the dressing, if desired. 
Store covered in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 6 servings) 80 calories; 4.9 g fat; 0.7 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 502 mg sodium; 6.1 g carbohydrates; 1.6 g fiber; 1.8 g sugars; 2.4 g protein; calcium 55 mg; iron 1 mg; 118 mg potassium

Although the salad dressing tastes great on just about any salad, this salad combo (pictured above) along with the Asian-Style Salad Dressing is pretty darn fantastic:

Power Greens

Green or Purple Cabbage

Blanched Broccoli (stems and/or florets)

Cherry Tomatoes

Yellow Bell Pepper (red or orange peppers are fine too)

Jicama

Sumac Onion Salad

Walnut Dukkah*

Vegan Feta

Malden Salt or Kosher Salt (sprinkle over the greens before adding the other ingredients)

Freshly Ground Pepper (sprinkle over the greens before adding the other ingredients)

Asian-Style Salad Dressing

*Homemade Walnut Dukkah: Makes roughly 1 cup (more than what you'll need) 

1/2 cup walnut halves

1/3 cup sesame seeds

2 Tablespoons cumin seeds

2 Tablespoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon flaked sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Place the walnuts on a baking pan and roast them for 5-10 minutes or until they become slightly darker and fragrant. Remove the walnuts and set aside. Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat, about 3 minutes or so.  Place the sesame seeds in a bowl with the walnut pieces.  Add the cumin and coriander seeds to the now empty skillet and toast for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  (They will making a popping sound.) Place the toasted spices, the walnuts, the sesame seeds, and salt in a spice grinder and grind.  Store in an air tight container in the fridge.  Sprinkle over salads, soups, hummus and anything else you fancy.

Thai Kabocha Squash Curry (Vegan)

Here you see Thai Kabocha Squash Curry served with brown rice. 
Also pictured is a bowl of fresh plums with
Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt and Lemon Poppy Seed Granola. 

Recipe from Rainbow Plant Life (Nisha Vora)

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 6

Kabocha squashes are turning up at the grocery stores and I couldn’t help myself, even though it’s still summery outdoors.  But what a treat this was!  Good enough for company, as I like to say.  This was full of flavor and definitely comforting, so perfect for autumn/winter time.  And, it freezes well.  Rainbow Plant Life comes through again.  All of the recipes I’ve tried from Nisha’s YouTube channel/blog have been excellent.

Ingredients

1 medium kabocha squash

½ -1 cup water (or vegetable broth)

1-1½ Tablespoons coconut oil* (or oil of choice)

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

Kosher salt or sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

2- inch piece ginger, grated or finely minced

1-2 Thai bird’s eye chili peppers, thinly sliced* (optional)

¼ cup red curry paste (use less to make it less spicy) (I used 1/8 cup.)

1 (13.5 ounce) can “lite” or reduced-fat coconut milk (I used full fat coconut milk because that’s what I had on hand.)

1 Tablespoon maple syrup, agave nectar, or coconut sugar

1 Tablespoon reduced sodium tamari** (gluten-free soy sauce)

1 Tablespoon white or yellow miso paste*** (optional but recommended)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas (rinsed and drained) or about 3 cups cooked chickpeas

1-2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For serving: white or brown rice or grains of choice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Use a large, sharp knife to slice the kabocha squash in half. Once sliced in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Lightly brush each squash half with a bit of oil (coconut oil or avocado oil) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the squash halves, flesh side down, on the sheet pan. Roast for 40-45 minutes until the flesh is very tender. If your squash is large, bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Once it’s cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin, and discard the skin. Place the kabocha squash flesh in a blender and add ½ cup water (or vegetable broth) and puree until very smooth. You should end up with approximately 3 cups of liquid. (I added 1 cup of veggie broth to make it less thick.)

While the kabocha squash is roasting, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Chop the onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and chile peppers, and measure out the spices and other ingredients.

Heat a Dutch oven or a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, and once it’s shimmering, add the onions and carrots along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables for 7-8 min, or until they are very tender and lightly browned.

Add the garlic, ginger, chile peppers (if using) and the red curry paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables in the aromatics. If you aren’t using a nonstick skillet, you may need to add a tablespoon of water to prevent the mixture from drying out and burning.

Pour the pureed kabocha squash sauce into the pan, then add the lite coconut milk, tamari, miso paste (if using), maple syrup, and turmeric, and black pepper to taste. Stir or whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Add the canned chickpeas and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the curry has become thick and creamy, and the veggies are fully softened.

When ready to serve, stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Serve with white rice or grains of choice.

Notes

*If you are sensitive to spicy food, omit the chile peppers. Alternatively, you can use a less spicy pepper, such as a jalapeño pepper.

**Tamari is gluten-free but soy sauce is not, so if you use soy sauce, just keep in mind that the recipe won’t be gluten-free.

***The miso paste adds a deep, complex umami flavor. If you don’t have any, you’ll want to add a bit of salt at this stage.

****331 Calories per serving

Curried Broccoli Chickpea Salad (Vegan)

Recipe from Ambitious Kitchen

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4 generous servings

What a treat this was!  This salad was absolutely delicious and good enough for company.  It's easy to make and tastes great after it has a while for the flavors to meld, and that means it's perfect for food prep day.  As you can see in the photo, I served the salad over some greens.  I actually forgot to put in the chickpeas, so I served it along side some Trader Joe's Giant Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce.  In my defense, we had spent the afternoon working on taxes and so my brain was a bit frazzled.  Ha!

For the salad:

1 head of broccoli, very finely chopped*

1 cup shredded carrots (about 3 small carrots or 2 large)

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup toasted* sliced almonds (can also use chopped roasted almonds)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 bunch green onions, chopped OR 1/2 red/purple onion, minced

¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the dressing:

1/4 cup tahini

1/2 large lemon, juiced

3-5 tablespoons warm water, to thin dressing (I used 4 Tablespoons.)

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon yellow curry powder

½ Tablespoon freshly grated ginger

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, add finely chopped broccoli, chickpeas, carrot, cranberries, green onion, and cilantro. Set aside.

Make the dressing by whisking together the following ingredients in a small bowl: tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, maple syrup, curry powder, ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper. Immediately drizzle over salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle almonds on top and toss a few more times.

Serve immediately with fresh squeeze of lemon or place in the fridge for later. Salad will keep well up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes:

*I blanched the broccoli putting it in boiling salted water for 2 minutes and then plunging it in ice water.  I drained the broccoli and patted it dry (so the dressing would stick) and then proceeded with the recipe.  I find blanching broccoli takes any bitterness away.  It also brightens the green which is quite appealing to me.

*If you are making this for a party with several other dishes, it will most likely serve 6 rather than 4 people.

*To toast almonds: Add sliced almonds to a pan and place over medium heat. Use a spatula to stir the almonds; stirring every 30 seconds or so until they are nice and golden brown, about 5 minutes total time. If pan begins to smoke, make sure to reduce the heat to prevent burning.

Nutrition Information: (1 of 4 servings)

Calories 434; Calories from Fat 159; Fat 17.7g; ; Carbohydrates 56.4g; Fiber 14.9g; Sugar 15.6g; Protein 15.8g

Yum Sauce (Vegan)

Yum Sauce dresses up a simple potato frittata and local tomatoes.

Recipe from The Full Helping

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes approximately 1 cup sauce

Everybody knows that it’s not always about what’s underneath a sauce.  It’s usually about the sauce.  This sauce is called Yum Sauce for a reason.  When you taste it mingled with beans, greens, and grains, you’re going to say, “Yum!”  Make a batch of this sauce on your food prep day and store it in the fridge for when you wish to make a ho-hum meal an especially yummy meal.

½ cup water

6 Tablespoons Tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (or yellow mustard)

2 heaping Tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon turmeric

¾ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Generous pinch freshly ground black pepper

Whisk or blend all the ingredients together until smooth.  Adjust the salt, pepper, lemon/vinegar to taste.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.  It will thicken a bit as it sits.

Nutritional Information: (1 Tablespoon) 66 calories; 1.5 grams fiber; 20.3 mg calcium; 2.9 g protein

Tempeh in Spicy Coconut Sauce with Spinach (Vegan)

Recipe from The New Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

I had fun making this simple dish because I got to use tamarind, an ingredient I’d never cooked with before.  This was a delicious meal, but I wouldn’t call it spicy.  It may be that the chilis I used were not really hot.  I loved how the sauce soaked into the rice. I also enjoyed the tender crunch of the browned tempeh.  This was a comforting, satisfying meatless meal.

1 (8 or 10 oz.) package tempeh

3 Tablespoons peanut oil

Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste

1 Tablespoon tamarind paste thinned in ¼ cup hot water

1/3 cup finely sliced cilantro stems and 1/3 cup cilantro leaves

1 small white onion, diced

1 heaping teaspoon chopped ginger (I used jarred minced ginger.)

2 Tablespoons minced lemongrass, from the middle stalk (I used lemongrass that came in a tube.)

1 teaspoon chopped, peeled turmeric or ½ teaspoon dried turmeric (I used dried.)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk, plus water to make 2 cups

2 Thai red chilis

A few handfuls of baby spinach leaves

Cut the tempeh crosswise into six pieces.  Cut each one in half lengthwise, then into cubes.  Steam the tempeh cubes over boiling water for 10 minutes.  Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil in a skillet.  When hot, add the tempeh, toss immediately to distribute the oil, then cook over medium heat until golden on all sides.  If the pan seems too dry, add the last Tablespoon of the oil.  When done, turn off the heat, and season with salt, to taste.  Place the tempeh on a dish until it is needed.  Puree the tamarind and water with the cilantro stems and leaves, onion, ginger, lemongrass, and spices.  Heat the same skillet with which you browned the tempeh.  Add the puree plus the coconut milk and the Thai chilies.  Mix well and then simmer, covered for 15 minutes.  Add the tempeh cubes and simmer until they are heated through, then add the spinach leaves.  Turn them over in the pan and as soon as they’re wilted, turn off the heat.  Serve over brown rice. 

Nutritional Information (via Calorie King app)

1 of 4 servings with ½ cup brown rice: 550 calories; 6.3 g fiber; 39.8 g protein; 172 mg calcium

1 of 4 servings without brown rice: 442 calories; 4.5 g fiber; 14.8 g protein; 162.2 mg calcium