Cauliflower with almonds, raisins and capers.

Such a beautiful side dish, even sans breadcrumbs.  Obvs I use tamari or smoked almonds.

Yield: 4 servings (sure, totally)
1 head cauliflower, trimmed of leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh soft bread crumbs
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons whole almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons golden raisins (I had only dark ones on hand, nobody complained)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon
1 teaspoon finely sliced chives.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cauliflower from top to bottom in 1-inch slices. Place a large ovenproof skillet over low heat and add one tablespoon butter. When it has melted, add bread crumbs and toss until toasted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a plate and wipe out pan.
2. Return pan to medium heat and add one teaspoon olive oil. Add almonds and toss until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer almonds to a plate, let cool, and cut each almond into three pieces*; set aside.
3. Wipe out pan and return to medium heat. Add remaining one tablespoon olive oil and cauliflower slices. Sauté until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer pan to oven and roast until tender, about 12 minutes. (I had to brown my cauliflower in batches, not having enough surface area in my pan, but tossed everything back in to roast it.) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and add raisins, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water. Simmer until raisins are plump and soft, about 5 minutes; drain and set aside. In a small bowl, combine almonds, capers, raisins, parsley, tarragon and chives. Season with salt and pepper and toss to mix.
4. Arrange roasted cauliflower on a serving platter. Spoon almond-herb mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve immediately.

Kale spanakopita.

Food as healing.  Always, always food as healing.

I adjusted this recipe because apparently this is a thing I can do now.  Added tahini and heaps of salt to the cashew feta, steamed the kale in chicken stock, caramelised thin onions (thanks Ottolenghi), PLUS added nootch and two no-eggs.

I didn't realise the filo needed three hours to thaw so I just did it as an 'open pie' with almonds and pine nuts over the top and gave my soul the hug it needed.

Ingredients

For the Cashew Feta
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons unflavored soy or almond milk
For the Kale Filling
• 1 (1-pound) bunch kale, stems removed and chopped into 1 to 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the Pastry
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 24 sheets phyllo pastry

Instructions

Prepare the Cashew Feta
1. Drain the cashews, place them in a food processor and blend to a thick paste, stopping to scrape down the bowl occasionally. Add the lemon juice and soy or almond milk. Process again until smooth and set aside.
Prepare the Kale Filling
2. Add about 2 inches of water to a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. Lower heat to medium, add the kale and cover. Steam the kale until it's completely wilted, removing the lid and stirring about every 2 minutes, cooking for a total of 6-8 minutes. Transfer the kale to a colander to drain.
3. Pour all of the water out of the saucepan, wipe it dry, and return it to medium heat on the stove.
4. Heat the olive oil in the saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return the kale to the saucepan, and add the lemon juice, green onions, salt, pepper and cashew feta. Toss a few times to get everything well mixed, then remove from heat.
Prepare the Spanakopita
5. Preheat oven to 400°F.
6. Use some of the olive oil to grease a 9 x 9 or 9 x 13-inch pan. Arrange a sheet of phyllo in the bottom of pan. Brush the entire top surface of the phyllo sheet with olive oil.
7. Layer a second sheet over the first, and then brush the second sheet with olive oil in the same manner. Repeat this for 8 phyllo sheets, making sure to firmly (but gently) press down on each sheet to work out air bubbles. If using a 9 x 9-inch pan, tuck the excess phyllo down along the sides of the pan, or fold over top.
8. After 8 sheets are layered, distribute half of the kale filling over the phyllo. Arrange 8 more sheets of phyllo over the filling, brushing each with olive oil as described above.
9. Distribute the second half of the kale filling over the phyllo. Arrange the last 8 sheets of phyllo and remaining olive oil over the second filling layer, in the same manner as described above, making sure to brush the surface of the top phyllo sheet with olive oil.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Cut into 6 to 8 squares and serve.

Notes

While preparing the spanakopita, keep your phyllo covered with a damp dish towel, as the sheets will dry out quickly otherwise.

A 9 x 13-inch baking dish is the easiest way to go with this, because that's pretty close to the dimensions of most phyllo sheets. I prefer a 9 x 9-inch pan though, because it results in a thicker spanakopita that holds up better during cutting.

Read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/vegan-kale-spanakopita/#pfgzA6kbfwvPwcOb.99

Chickpea cutlets.

It's funny the things that can save your life sometimes.  Long bracing walks.  Workbooks that arrive at the right moment.  Deep breaths.  And these cutlets, nurturing me from the inside out.

Chickpea cutlets
(the recipe is everywhere, but appears to have been posted to Chow.com by the authors themselves)

1 cup cooked chickpeas (I used a 400g can, drained)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup wheat gluten (I used Lotus 'gluten flour' from Allergy Block)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vege stock or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced (I actually used the dry powdered stuff)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
extra oil for frying or greasing

Mash the chickpeas and oil together in a bowl until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and combine to form a dough. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes, until gluten strings form. Divide the dough into four pieces and form them into patties, no more than 1.5 cm thick.

Now you can bake or fry them. I did a combination of both: frying in a little oil until golden on both sides, then baking for a further 15 minutes to cook through.

Tempeh stroganoff.

This was a requested dish and one never made before - and oh god, it was fucking perfect.  Warm, salty, comforting.  Served on brown rice with blanched green beans on the side.  Get it into your face.

Vegan Tempeh Stroganoff

2 (8-oz) blocks tempeh, cubed
3 tablespoons olive oil + 2 Tablespoons extra
2 cups thinly sliced onions
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine), use regular wine if you have
⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 Tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons potato starch
1 Tablespoon fresh minced thyme
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1-2 teaspoons salt
½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk (more to taste)
1 cup frozen peas
1 (16-ounce) package noodles, cooked according to directions
Cashew cheese, sour cream or Greek Yogurt for garnish
Minced fresh parsley for garnish

1. In a large heavy skillet heat 3 Tablespoons oil on medium heat. Add cubed tempeh. Cook until browned on each side, adding more oil if necessary. Set aside.
2. In the same skillet, heat remaining oil. Lower heat slightly and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions have browned slightly. Lower heat and add all mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are soft, stirring occasionally.
3. In a bowl whisk together broth, mirin, nutritional yeast, potato starch, thyme, mustard, paprika, and salt until starch has dissolved.
4. Add broth mixture to onions and stir well. Stir continually until mixture has thickened. Slowly add in soymilk until mixture is desired consistency. Add cooked tempeh and peas and stir to combine. Let simmer for five minutes on very low heat.
5. Divide noodles between bowls and cover with mushroom sauce. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and fresh minced parsley. Enjoy!

NYE mushroom vol-au-vents.

I had never made these before.  I ended up using a twelve-size 'normal' muffin tin (wtf is a jumbo muffin tin anyway) and grated Vegusto instead of the Gruyere.  These were, may I say, a FUCKING HUGE success and were eaten on a rooftop as the dying seconds of 2014 ticked over.  Vol-au-vents for 2015.

Upside-Down Mushroom Tartlets

Cut these into quarters for pretty yet simple hors d'oeuvres, or serve them with a crunchy green salad for lunch or a light supper.

• PREP: 20 MINS
 
• TOTAL TIME: 45 MINS
 
• YIELD: MAKES 6

205

SOURCE: EVERYDAY FOOD, SEPTEMBER 2010

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into six 3-inch rounds
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for muffin pan
• 1 large shallot, diced small
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
• 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese (2 ounces)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place puff pastry rounds in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while mushrooms cook. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until soft and browned, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in thyme and remove skillet from heat.
2. Lightly oil 6 jumbo muffin cups. Divide mushroom mixture and cheese among cups, then top each with a chilled pastry round. Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.
3. Run a small knife around cups to loosen tartlets. Place a rimmed baking sheet or large plate over pan and invert to release tartlets. Sprinkle with more thyme. Serve warm.

Plum cake.

Picked some plums from the neighbour's yard.  They were so good I made this cake TWICE.  I had to leave it in the oven for 50 minutes, but I think that's just one of those 'know your own oven' things.  Anyway, A plus would recommend a thousand times over.

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 1 cup maida/all purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp vanilla powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 plums chopped finely
• ¼ or ½ cup chopped cashews
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• a pinch or two of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder
• ½ cup soy milk or dairy milk
• 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¾ or 1 cup organic cane sugar or golden sugar or powdered sugar. (see notes below)
• ⅔ cup oil or melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. grease a cake round tin or cake loaf pan with oil or butter.
2. preheat your oven to 170 degrees C.
3. seive the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, cinnamon powder and grated nutmeg along with baking powder.
4. add the oil or melted butter and mix gently.
5. add the sugar and mix.
6. now add the chopped plums and cashews.
7. fold these gently in the cake batter.
8. add apple cider to soy milk and later add baking soda to this mixture.
9. stir gently and add this frothy bubbly mixture to the cake batter.
10. add the vanilla extract or vanilla powder.
11. fold quickly.
12. pour the cake batter in the greased cake pan.
13. bake at 170 degrees C for 35-40 minutes.
14. when the plum cake becomes warm or cools, remove from the cake pan.
15. serve eggless plum cake warm with tea or coffee.

NOTES

few suggestions for eggless plum cake recipe:
1. instead of soy milk you can use milk.
2. instead of oil you can use butter.
3. some more dry fruits like raisins, apricots, walnuts, almonds or dry fruits of your choice can be added to the cake.
4. the ¾th cup sugar makes the cake just sweet. but not sweet enough for a cake. add 1 cup sugar to get the right amount of sweetness.
5. if the top of the cake browns quickly, then cover the top with butter paper or aluminium foil.

Four grain salad with garlic and herbs.

Summer is coming and Dlfrod is heating up and my GOODNESS this was very nice.  Anything that uses a whole bulb of garlic wins my heart.  I added preserved lemon and smoked almonds because salt, and cooked the rice/barley mix in Massel chicken stock.  I think I am starting to love Jamie Oliver is that a 'problem'.

• 1 small bunch mint, leaves picked, stalks chopped
• 1 small bunch parsley, leaves picked, stalks chopped
• 200 g mixed wild rice
• 100 g red rice
• 100 g pearl barley or farro
• 1 bulb garlic
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 75 g rolled porridge oats

Method

With a whole load of extra grains, textures and flavours in it, this is so much more than just another boring old rice salad. This dish can easily be prepared ahead of time and then just topped with the warm oats at the last minute.

Pick the leaves off the mint and parsley and put them to one side. Pour all the rice and barley into a deep saucepan with the bulb of garlic and the herb stalks and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes. If using farro cook for 30 minutes before adding the rice, as it needs around 50 minutes in total. Check the grains are soft to the bite then cook for 1 minute more. Drain through a sieve, saving the cooking water.

Keep the grains in the sieve and place it over the saucepan containing the cooking water. Cover with a lid and place back on the heat so the grains steam for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and tip the grains into a bowl to cool down.

Pick out and discard the herb stalks, then pick out the garlic bulb and squeeze all the cloves so the garlic inside goes into a bowl. Lightly mash the garlic with the back of a fork. Chop the herb leaves and stir these into the garlic. Season well with salt, pepper, plenty of extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice. Stir this dressing through the cooled grains. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan and add the fennel and cumin seeds and the oats. Stir and fry for a few minutes until the seeds start smelling fantastic and the oats are lightly toasted.

Spoon the grain mixture into a serving dish, stirring through half of the spiced, toasted oats and sprinkling the rest over the top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, scatter some chopped parsley over the top and serve.