Raw Cashew Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• fresh ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

Cover cashews with water and soak 4 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews.

Place cashews in a blender or food processor. Add salt, lemon juice, and black pepper. Puree while slowly adding water until the mixture has reached your desired consistency.

Variations could include adding a clove or two of raw garlic, a sprinkling of fresh rosemary, or (my favorite for a decadent twist) a drizzle of black truffle oil.

Enjoy with raw veggies, on crackers or dollop on top of a pizza.

Sugar Snap Salad with Miso Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 C sugar snap peas

• 3 cups napa cabbage, cut into thin ribbons

• 4 radishes, quartered and thinly sliced

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced on a slant (white and green parts)

• 2 T toasted sesame seeds

Dressing

• 1 T peeled and minced fresh ginger

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 T sweet white or chickpea miso

• 2 T tahini

• 1 T brown rice syrup

• ¼ C rice vinegar

• 2 T dark sesame oil

• 2 T olive oil

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Prepare an ice-water bath in a medium bowl.  Boil the sugar snap peas for about 2 minutes, so they are bright green but still crisp.  Scoop them out and drop them in the ice water bath.  Once they are cool, drain and pat dry.  Remove and discard the stem end and string, then cut into thin slices on a slant.  Toss in a large bowl with the cabbage, radishes and scallions.

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender.  Toss the salad with half of the dressing to start, adding more to taste.  Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds and serve.

To toast sesame seeds, rinse in a fine strainer and drain.  Heat a cast iron or stainless steel frying pan over medium heat.  Add the sesame seeds and stir with a wooden spoon until the seeds begin to turn brown and pop.  This usually takes 5-10 minutes.

Basil Mint Pesto

Notes

Recipe adapted from the sprouted kitchen 

Ingredients & Preparation

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 cup walnut pieces

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

Nettle Pesto

Makes 1 generous cup.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound nettles

• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed

• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer for the nettles. Add the nettles directly from their bag and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. (This takes away their sting). Dump into a colander to drain. When the nettles are cool enough to handle, wrap them in a clean dishtowel and wring out as much moisture as possible, like you would for spinach. You’ll have about a cup of cooked, squished nettles.

In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper to taste until finely chopped. Add the nettles, breaking them up as you drop them in, and the lemon juice and blend until finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Add the cheese, pulse briefly, and season to taste with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice.

Recipe adapted from Jess Thompson.

Japanese Yam Tofu Chili

Our 1st ever Chili Cook Off was a hit! We had eight wonderful, delicious chili dishes and lots of hungry judges. The chili that was voted #1 was Tami Cheng’s Japanese Yam Tofu Chili, and she was kind enough to share the recipe with us. 

Makes: about 3 quarts, serving 6
Total time: 3 hours

ingredients

Chili

• 3 dry New Mexico, or California Chilies, stems and seeds removed

• 3 dry Ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed

• 2 Chipotle chilies, stems and seeds removed

• 1 big yellow onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 1 orange bell pepper, diced

• 1 Japanese yam (replaced with sweet potato if not in season)

• 1 extra-firm tofu, diced

• 1 can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (use 2 chipotle chilies from the can and 2 tablespoons sauce for the chili, use the remaining for tofu marinade)

• 1 can dark red kidney beans

• 1 can black-eye beans

• 1 can black beans

• 1 1/2 can diced tomato with green chili

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 2 tablespoons grape seed oil

• 5 cloves garlic crushed

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin

• 2 tablespoons coriander

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• some frozen corn

• Salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional adult friendly)

• Shredded cheese, Cilantro, green onion, radish, avocado (optional toppings)

Baked Tofu Marinade 

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (left over from chili)

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions

Dice tofu into small cubes and leave them in Marinade overnight. 

Grind the 3 types of chillis in a grinder - this makes the chili powder.

Dice all vegetables in roughly the same size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray or brush a little oil on a cookie sheet. Place the tofu on the oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes turning once after the first 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add yam, cumin, coriander, and dried oregano and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 mins. Add chili powder, soy sauce, and green pepper and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain and add all beans, tomato sauce, vegetable stock, bay leaves, 2 chipotle chilies from can and sauce. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, add cocoa powder, baked tofu and cook. Transfer to a slower cooker for another 2 hours.  Add orange bell pepper and frozen corn, then cook for another 30 minutes.  Add more vegetable stock as necessary if chili becomes too thick or sticks to the bottom of the pan.

When cooked, add vodka or bourbon and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and whisk in.  For best results, allow chili to cool and refrigerate for at least one night before re-heating and serving, this allows the flavors to meld together.

Charred Snap Peas with Mint and Lemon

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 pound snap peas

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the snap peas and garlic and sauté over high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the peas are tender-crisp and slightly charred or blistering. Remove from the heat and stir in the mint, lemon zest and juice and a pinch of salt. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired before serving warm.