Saag Aloo, Wild rice with Apricot & Tamarind, & Fry bread

A hot July: my orach (mountain spinach) was about to bolt and I'd just dug up the first new potatoes. Not knowing what to do with the tiny stray potatoes and a crop of baby leaves that had never gotten to maturity (the hot weather confused the poor, spinachy plants), I scratched my head a bit and came up with this. So it’s a Northwest ingredient, home gardener/farmer's market devotee's early summer celebration with Indian flavors.

This recipe is my basic saag recipe created when living in a large college co-op, and it can be applied easily to be just as tasty using regular spinach, larger potatoes, older onions and garlic, etc.

Time/mess saver hint: Process all of the garlic, ginger, and onion ahead of time; the night, or several hours before, saving in a lidded glass jar. At the same time, you can cook the rice (since it takes longer than the saag) and simply reheat it before eating.

For the Saag

Ingredients

• Orach or spinach: two or three bunches, enough to fill a large salad bowl

• New potatoes, a few handfuls

• Coriander seeds

• Fenugreek seeds

• Mustard seeds

• Turmeric

• Cumin

• 5-7 cloves of fresh garlic

• Nub of ginger, slightly less than the size of your thumb

• One small spring onion

• Yogurt

• A little cream

Instructions

1. Boil the new potatoes in salted water until fork tender.

2. Peel and finely chop the garlic, onion and ginger. You should have equal portions of all. They can be arranged in little piles, then combined, or just messily tossed together. I like to chop them with a meat cleaver. This takes time. Don't be tempted to do it in a food processor. They will get mushy inappropriately early. This is where you can pause overnight if need be, and save yourself the mess on the day of. They may lose pungency, but if kept in a sealed jar, they remain strong enough.

3. Heat the butter and canola oil in tall, medium-sized saucepan (or soup pot if you are making a lot). The taller the pot the better. Add the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of cumin to the fat. Fry the spices until the seeds start to pop. Add the onions/garlic/ginger. Turn the heat down a bit and cook, stirring with a metal spatula or something else that won't be stained by the turmeric. When the onions are clearly translucent and the garlic has yet to burn, add the washed orach or spinach. Fold actively into the spice paste. Add the leaves in loads, turning the heat down now to medium-low.

4. Cook until the leaves have broken down/incorporated with the spice paste. Turn off the heat. Add several spoonfuls of yogurt, some salt, and a trickle of cream if you have it handy. Process in a food processor if you have a vast quantity, or with a hand blender (you may want to move it to a jar if your pot isn't tall enough to prevent splatter). Chop the new potatoes and fold them in. Let the saag hang out for a while if you can, reheating it slowly before eating.

For the rice

Ingredients

• Wild rice

• Dried apricots

• Tamarind

Instructions

1. In a rice cooker or small saucepan, cook the quantity of rice appropriate for your serving of saag. For two people, about 1/2 cup of rice works well. For wild rice, use twice as much water as rice, so in this case, 1 cup.

2. Halfway through cooking, when most of the liquid has reduced, add chopped turkish apricots and one spoonful of tamarind paste. Stir to distribute. The apricots should absorb the liquid and plump up. The tamarind adds an exciting depth of flavor.

For the fry bread

Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour

• White flour

• Salt

Instructions

1. I insist on this being as simple as possible. The idea is, you have a curry and you want something extra, delicious and filling, to scoop it up. It is not the time for your baker's hat.

2. Take one handful of white flour and one handful of wheat flour. Mix them in a bowl with a pinch of salt or two. Add water, starting with 1/4 cup, then adding teaspoons at a time if it needs more moisture. Mix and beat around with your fists.

3. Let rest for a hot second while you attend to some other detail of your dinner.

4. Knead again once the glutens have activated and the dough becomes smoother and smoother. Bang out into circles. Stretch/toss like pizza, roll out or just press.

5. Heat a cast iron (preferably a thinner one) and add a slim pour of plain oil. Take a metal spatula and scrape it across the pan 3 or 4 times to distribute the oil evenly.

6. Gently lift and set the flatbread down in the skillet. Cook on high, watching it puff up slightly and checking the bottom for the perfect combination of browning/slight charring/softness. Flip and cook on the other side for only 30-45 seconds. Remove, immediately spread with butter (which will melt) and sprinkle on some flaky salt.

Top the saag with fried paneer

Instructions

1. In the scheme of the meal, after the fry bread is done, everything else can easily bekept warm and/or reheated.

2. Taking advantage of the hot cast iron (from the frying of the bread), and repeat the process with the slim glug of oil, scraping to distribute, and add square slices of paneer cheese.

3. While the first side is frying, dish up your plates with fry bread, rice, and saag. Flip the paneer when the underside is lightly browned in an appetizing manner. Remove when the other side reaches the same color.

Recipe courtesy of Andrew Barton, photo credits Peter Schweitzer

Jerry Traunfeld’s Root Ribbons with Sage

Ingredients

• 2 lbs root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, burdock, rutabagas, yams (avoid beets)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped sage

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Wash and peel the roots and discard the peelings. Continue to peel the vegetables from their tops to the root tips to produce ribbons, rotating the roots on their axis a quarter turn after each strip is peeled, until you're left with cores that are too small to work with. (You can snack on these or save them for stock.) Alternately, you may use a mandolin.

Melt the butter with the sage in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir for a minute to partially cook the sage. Add the root ribbons and toss them with tongs until they begin to wilt. Add the salt, a good grinding of black pepper, the maple syrup, lemon juice, and about 3/4 cup of water.

Continue to cook the vegetables over medium heat, turning them with tongs every minute or so, until all the liquid boils away and the ribbons are glazed and tender, about 10 minutes total. Serve right away, or cool and reheat in the skillet when ready to serve.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford adapted from Food52

Portobello Mushrooms stuffed with Root Vegetable Farro Risotto

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 4 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed

• olive oil

• 2 large carrots, quartered length-wise and cut into ½-inch cubes

• 2 beets, cleaned and cut into ½-inch cubes

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 cup farro, rinsed and soaked for at least 30 minutes or overnight

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup dry white wine

• ¼ cup nutritional yeast (or parmesan)

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme or parsley

• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Rub the portobello mushrooms lightly with olive oil (about 1/2 tablespoons) and place them, bowl side facing down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, to par-cook them.

Toss the carrots and beets in one tablespoon of olive oil and arrange on another parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place vegetables in the oven to roast. Roast the carrots and beets for about 20 minutes, or until tender with a slight crunch. 

In the meantime, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil into a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onions are clear and soft.

Add the farro and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes, or until it smells nutty. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the white wine and continue to stir until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add 1 cup of broth and continue stirring until it has been absorbed. Continue this process, adding the stock in 1/2- to 3/4-cup amounts, until the farro is tender. Some of the grains should begin to splay open. If more liquid is needed, just use water. When the farro is ready, stir in the nutritional yeast, thyme/parsley, and lemon juice. Stir in the roasted carrots and beets (or other root vegetables). Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste

Flip the mushrooms on the baking sheet so that the bowl side faces up. Fill each cap with a heaping 1/2 cup (or so) of risotto. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan, if you’d like.  Transfer the mushrooms to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford. Recipe adapted from Food52.

Butternut Squash Soup with Miso and Coconut

Serves 6-8, perfect for leftovers throughout the week. 

Ingredients

• Olive oil

• 4 ½ cups water

• 4 tbsp plus 1 tsp white miso paste

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated

• 2 ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• one 3 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk

• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

Directions

First, make your miso stock. Put 4 cups of water into a saucepan and heat to a simmer. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of water together with the miso, and pour that into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, but don't let it boil.

Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of a large, heavy pot. When it's hot, add the onion and sweat it until it's translucent. Stir in the ginger, cumin, and cayenne, and toast spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Deglaze with a ladle-full of your miso stock.

Add the cubed butternut squash and the salt, mixing everything to combine, and then pour in the rest of the miso stock. Simmer until the squash is completely tender, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and purée the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender, being careful of the hot liquid. At this point you can strain for a super-smooth soup, or you can leave it how it is -- up to you!

Return the puréed soup back to the pot, and stir in the coconut milk. Taste, adjust for seasoning and spice. 

Serve warm, with bread on the side.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Hazelnut Crusted Miso Delicata Squash

Ingredients

• 1 delicata squash, halved and cut into ½ inch wedges

• 2 tbsp miso paste

• 2 tbsp hot water

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar

• ¼ cup hazelnuts, ground (1/3 cup ground)

• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

• pinch of salt

• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine miso paste and hot water in a medium bowl and whisk to dissolve the miso paste, until smooth. Add in the olive oil and vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the squash to the bowl and toss to coat. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

In a food processor, add the ground hazelnuts, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes (if using) and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the nut mixture onto the squash, doing your best to evenly coat them. Once each wedge is covered, gently press the mixture down with your fingers so that it sticks. Carefully flip the squash over and repeat on the other side. A bit tedious, but so worth it!

Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, carefully flipping each wedge half way through. Squash is done when easily pierced with a fork and crust is browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with some fresh chopped parsley, if you please! This is great as a side or on top of a salad. Enjoy!

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza Crust

Makes one personal pizza.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed, soaked 8 hours or overnight, drained, rinsed again

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 3 tbsp water

• cooking spray

Topping ideas

• Arugula pesto

• Fried eggplant

• Fresh tomatoes

• Goat cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat the parchment paper with oil spray or brush it on yourself

Add the soaked and rinsed quinoa, baking powder, salt, and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the batter onto the lined baking sheet and spread out evenly using a rubber spatula.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Removed and flip the crust over and bake for another 3 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

Add toppings and bake until heated through and cheese is melted, about 6 minutes.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Squash & Mushroom Rye Galette with Goat Cheese and Fried Shallots

My mom made the savory pies from The Moosewood Cookbook and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest for my late-teen birthdays and other special occasions around that time. My college roommates would also make them for me, on the opening nights of plays or on my birthday or whatever. It was the primary dish that could put an ear-to-ear grin on my face. In my adult life, I've made them often, but probably not often enough. Nothing is more nostalgic and comforting. This fall version is meant as suggestion for a particularly nice seasonal flavor profile, but also as a jumping off point to whatever flavors suit your fancy.

First, rye pie crust

Ingredients

• 1 cup white flour

• a generous 1/2 cup dark northern rye flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 stick unsalted butter

• 5-8 tsp ice water

Instructions

Freeze the stick of butter. Place the flours, salt and cut/crumbled butter into a food processor and blitz. Many quality pie recipes discourse on the fine pleasures of rubbing the butter in with your hands. I agree, but it is easier to get perfect, flaky crust by forming pebbles of cold butter, and this is much more achievable in the food processor. After blitzing for 30 seconds or so, stop, check, then pulse. Add 2 teaspoons of water, pulse again and move to another bowl. 

Add cold water, one tsp at a time, until the dough balls up. Roll the dough ball in flour, wrap in plastic wrap, then place in the fridge- 45m-hr. 

Second, squash/mushroom galette filling

Ingredients

• 1 red kuri or sweetmeat squash

• 1 medium or two small shallots

• 1/2 pound (or just slightly less) of wild mushrooms

• chèvre

• Hungarian paprika

Instructions

Cut the skin off the squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, then cut into long strips. Cut pieces about 2 1/2 inches long. Dress the pieces with a mixture of melted butter and olive oil. 

Cut the top off of a head of garlic, peeling the excess papery skin off too. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and set in the center of the squash. Bake at 400º for 30-45 minutes, moving the pieces of squash around in the oil, scraping off the bottom of the pan and adjusting the placement of the pan every 10 minutes or so. When the squash is tender and has begun to darken in color, take it out. If the roasted garlic isn't quite there yet, remove it to another pan and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, until soft/spreadable/meltingly tender.

Slice the shallot thinly, then chop the thin slices aggressively. Coat the bottom of a thin pan with oil.  Heat on high until the oil shimmers, then drop in the shallot pieces. Add salt. Leave for approximately one whole minute, then agitate. When they've started to crisp up, turn off the heat. The shallots will finish cooking in the hot oil. Drain and remove to a bowl, ready to be sprinkled on at the end.

Break apart the little ball of chèvre (the kind that comes rolled in paprika is great for this) into little pieces. Place in a bowl at the ready.  

Take the frozen, open galette dough out onto a work surface. Spread the roasted garlic in the center circle like a pizza sauce. Set the squash pieces on top of the roasted garlic spread. Bake at 425º for 10 minutes, then at 375º for 20 minutes, then at 325º for 10-15 more minutes to finish. By the time you're down to 325º it will be all cooked/ready.  You're just waiting for the crust to brown slightly and flake to perfection. 

During the last 10 minutes the galette is in the oven: heat some more butter and oil in the pan that recently held the shallots. Break apart the wild mushrooms into your preferred size. When the oil is hot, add them to the pan. Cover with a lid for one minute. Remove the lid and agitate the mushrooms. They'll have tenderized and gotten too moist; now you're cooking the excess moisture out of them. Press down on them with a spatula. Hear the water sizzle out of them. The pan-side edges should start to turn appetizingly brown. Flip over those mushrooms to do the other side. When all is pretty much done, turn down to low and hold until the galette is done.

When the galette is ready, pull it out and drop the chèvre pieces evenly over the squash. Scatter on the mushroom pieces, then sprinkle with the crispy shallots. Sprinkle the Hungarian paprika over the pieces of chèvre and add a light dusting of flaky salt on the sweeter, squash-heavy areas.

Recipe by Andrew Barton. Photo by Peter Schweitzer. 

Roasted Black Futsu Squash with Hazelnut Sage Pesto

Ingredients

For the pesto:

• 1 garlic clove

• ½ cup sage leaves (plus a few more for frying, optional)

• ¼ cup parsley

• ¼ cup hazelnuts

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tsp miso paste

• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

• ¼ cup olive oil

• salt and pepper, to taste

For the apple cider cranberries:

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1 cup unsweetened apple cider

For the squash:

• 1 black futsu squash (or other winter squash), cubed

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

For the pesto, in a food processor, pulse the garlic and herbs until coarsely chopped. Add in the hazelnuts and pulse again until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Add in the lemon juice, miso paste, red pepper flakes, and olive oil and pulse until incorporated. I like mine to still be a little chunky, but you could puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the squash is cooked through. 

(Optional) While the squash roasts, heat 3 tbsp of butter or oil in a small pan over medium heat. Once melted and sizzles when you drop a leaf in, add in the sage leaves and fry for about 10 seconds, or until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to cool. 

For the cranberries, heat the apple cider and cranberries to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the cranberries are rehydrated. 

Once the squash is done, transfer it to a bowl and generously toss with the hazelnut sage pesto. Top with chopped hazelnuts, apple cider cranberries and fried sage. Yum!

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Coconut Flour Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup grated zucchini

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 6 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/4 chopped pecans + 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional...but necessary)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a muffin pan (this makes 12 small muffins).

Mix the coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl.

Combine the zucchini, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup in a separate bowl and mix until uniform. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Arugula Walnut Peston & Mozzarella Broiled Sandwich with Radicchio

Arugula/walnut pesto & mozzarella broiled sandwich with radicchio 

Ingredients

• 2 bunches arugula

• 2 cups walnuts

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 6 cloves garlic

• ¼ cup parmesan

• ¼ cup pecorino

• black pepper

• ½ tsp salt, more to taste

• fresh mozzarella

• baguette or ciabatta rolls

• radicchio, a leaf or two depending on the side, for each sandwich

For the pesto:

Wash the arugula, leaving it a little wet, and place in a food processor. Add the peeled garlic, parmesan, pecorino, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Pulse to chop everything up at first. Then process further into a paste/sauce. If it is too dry, add more olive oil and/or some lemon juice. Once it has become smooth, but is still perhaps too thick, add 1 teaspoon of water. Some magic emulsifying will happen and everything will come together. 

To make the sandwich:

Cut the bread to size, spread generously with pesto, then pile on the mozzarella. Broil until melting but not yet colored. Press the washed/dried radicchio leaves into the cheese, kind of like gluing a collage when you were a child. 

Return to the broiler for about 1 minute. The radicchio will cook and get less pretty, the cheese will bubble and up and finish with bits of brown here and there. Flip the radicchio leaves, revealing an intensified, gorgeous color on the other side, and stick them back in the cheese. Crack over more black pepper and flaky salt, maybe a drizzle of grassy olive oil.

Recipe courtesy of Andrew Barton. 

Young Garlic & Squash Blossom Risotto

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 cloves of the mild, young garlic with soft, wet skins, OR 3 cloves of pungent, cured summer garlic.

• one large or two smaller spring onions

• arborio rice (350 g, about 3 1/2 cups)

• white wine (200 ml- a little less than a cup)

• hot vegetable stock (1.25 litres- about 5 1/2 cups)

• butter (have a stick on hand, use your own judgement from there)

• olive oil

• squash blossoms (several, from your garden, or available at farmers markets)

Directions

Peel and slice, then chop the garlic and spring onions. 

Wash and set aside your squash blossoms.

Grate the parmesan cheese and set aside. 

Melt the butter and olive oil in the base of a good heavy bottom (half-height, if you have one) soup pot. I do feel strongly that a wide base is essential for good risotto. 

A good tool is also essential. Make sure your tool can safely scrape the bottom of your pan. A wooden flat spatula (just make sure its tip is thin enough) is good on enamel pots, a strong metal spatula on steel. 

In another soup pot or tall saucepan, heat your prepared stock. Ideally, make a good garlicky broth. You could also make a fresh young garlic stock by cooking some other cloves in butter, topping off with salt and water, then boiling/simmering (perhaps with a cheesecloth sachet of parsley stems) until the taste comes through. 

Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the arborio rice and cook for a minute or two more. Scrape out a circle in the center, then add the white wine. It should sizzle and steam on contact. Stir vigorously so the rice absorbs the alcohol. Cook this way for about 2 minutes, until the liquid is gone and the rice is just barely starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Make another circle with your tool. Add a ladleful of stock, then stir vigorously to incorporate. Repeat this process, taking progressively longer between ladlefuls. You'll notice the stock absorbs quite quickly at first, then as the rice cooks, it will slow. You don't want the rice to break down very much and become gummy, so the sweet spot is where you can feel whole grains on your tongue, but they are entirely tender. 

When most of the stock is absorbed (I almost always stop before I've reached the end of the pot) and the risotto is delicious, turn the heat off. Add the squash blossoms and parmesan and another good knob of butter. Stir to incorporate, then cover to let the squash blossoms delicately steam.

Serve with grilled summer vegetables, dressed with lemon zest and lemon juice, grassy olive oil, salt, and pepper. Top each serving of risotto with another sprinkling of parmesan and, if you have access, some herb flowers. 

Recipe courtesy of Andrew Barton, photo by Peter Schweitzer.

Fried Green Meatlessballs

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 small red onion, diced

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• ¼- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 bunch kale, chopped finely

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• ¾ cup almond flour (or breadcrumbs)

• ½ cup sheeps milk feta, crumbled (or regular feta)

• fresh cracked pepper

• 1 or 2 eggs

• oil for frying

Tahini Lemon Sauce

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 tsp miso paste*

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

To make tahini lemon sauce, add all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until uniformly combined. If sauce seems too thick, add a splash of water. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skilled over medium heat. Add red onion and salt and cook until onion is slightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, cilantro, cumin and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add in the kale and cook until wilted. If pan seems dry, add a few splashes of water, cover and let steam for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour greens mixture into a large bowl and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Add in almond flour (or breadcrumbs), feta and some fresh cracked pepper. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Finally, add in the egg and mix until incorporated. Using your hands, try to form a ball. If it doesn’t hold together, add another egg and try again. Form the mixture into balls and flatten slightly so they resemble patties. I made 6 large ones, but you could also make 8 smaller sized ones.

Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan on medium high. Once oil is hot, add the balls to the pan – it should sizzle. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until deep brown and crispy. Flip each ball carefully using a fork or spatula and cook an additional minute.

Serve over rice for a hearty meal or enjoy as an appetizer. Generously drizzle my tahini lemon sauce over top.   

Recipe adapted from Food 52 by Natalie Bickford. 

Chickpea, Tomato, Cucumber Salad with Tahini Lemon Sauce

Chickpea, Tomato, Cucumber Salad with Tahini Lemon Sauce

Serves 4

Sauce Ingredients:

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 tsp miso paste*

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 large tomato, chopped)

• 1 cup chickpeas

• ½ cup parsley, chopped

• ½ cup sheep’s milk feta (or any other kind of feta)

• ½ cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Combine all of the sauce ingredients into small bowl and whisk until uniform.

Combine the cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, parsley and feta into a large bowl. Pour dressing on top and mix until evenly coated. Top with additional feta and parsley and finish with fresh ground black pepper.

*If omitting miso paste, make sure to add salt, to taste.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Natalie Bickford.

Summer Panzanella

The classic Italian summer dish. A transcendent meal can be made from a little high summer produce and some old bread. 

Ingredients

• fresh, ripe tomatoes (several kinds if you can buy or grow them- large or small. Apx 7-12)

• cucumber(s, if little)

• the best damn stale bread you can get* (2 or 3 handfuls of cruton-esque pieces)

• very small (or half a medium) fresh sweet onion

• garlic, 4 or so cloves

• white wine vinegar

• lemon juice

• olive oil

• red wine (already open, just for cooking or what you are drinking that night)

• pickled green peppercorns (secret, important ingredient here, available at Pastaworks, you can also substitute capers here)

• parmesan

• fresh mozzarella

• basil or parsley or celery leaves or whatever strong leafy herb

Directions

Dice the onion finely and place it in a non-reactive bowl (a glass pyrex mixing bowl is perfect). Peel and chop the garlic, mincing and adding it. Pour enough white wine vinegar to soak the onion and garlic. Add lemon juice till they are almost submerged. Add olive oil to really bury them. Salt generously. Let this hang out for at least an hour, seriously. You can get away with half and hour but an hour is better. This is the technique that gives this panzanella it's brightness, it's zing. 

If you are cooking other food, work on it now; or take a walk, or read a chapter of your book. Wash, de-stem, and sliced the tomatoes. If using an english cucumber, no need to fuss over it. A regular one; peel a couple lines down the outer skin and scoop out the seeds before cutting. Little lemon cucumbers? Wash the prickles off, but no need to de-seed.

Smash/chop about one teaspoon of pickled green peppercorns. Add them with the tomatoes and the cucumbers to the onion, garlic, acids, and olive oil. 

After 10 minutes or so for these things to become acquainted (and white you grate the parmesan, tear the mozzerella, tear the basil), add the bread pieces. Toss aggressively, splashing in red wine as you go. Try to get the wine to hit half the bread pieces. Toss in the parmesan, the mozz, and the basil/other leafy herbs. Drizzle with olive oil, taste, add more wine, wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, or black pepper to taste.

Recipe courtesy of Myrtlewood.

Soba with Parsley Pea Pesto

Ingredients for the pesto:

2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 generous splashes of balsamic vinegar 
up to 1/2 cup olive oil 

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food processor and pulse until roughly combined.
2. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and continue pulsing until mixture comes together. Add more olive oil as needed, 1 Tbsp at a time, if pesto needs to be thinned out. You want it to be loose enough that it will lightly coat your noodles.

Ingredients for the noodles:

100g (or so) of dried soba noodles 
1 cup frozen peas, thawed 
2 cups kale, chopped
1/2 cup parsley pea pesto

Directions:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Once water has come to a boil, add dried soba noodles, give a good stir, turn off the heat and cover. Set aside for 5 minutes. I like my soba al dente and find that it is very easy to overcook. This method ensures that the noodles maintain their bite.
2. While noodles are cooking, heat frozen peas in the microwave (about 2.5 - 3 minutes on high, stirring halfway through). Add a small amount of water to the peas before microwaving them.
3. Once noodles and peas are cooked, drain and rinse the noodles with cold water and return to the pot. Drain the peas and add to the pot along with the chopped kale and pesto, toss to coat evenly.  Serves 2.

Recipe and photo by Natalie Bickford. 

Raw Mini Key Lime Pie

Ingredients (makes 4)

Crust:
1/2 cup raw walnuts
5 dates, pitted
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Filling:
1 medium avocado
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp honey (sub maple syrup to make vegan)
juice and zest of 2 limes (1/4 cup lime juice)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Put the crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until there are no chunks and you are able to mold the mixture in your hands. If it's not sticking then pulse a few more times or try adding a splash of water. Remove from the food processor and set aside in a bowl. Try not to eat all of it.
2. For the filling, put all the of ingredients into your food processor and process until smooth. Taste it and decide whether you'd like it more sweet (add honey) or more tart (add more lime juice).
3. Line a muffin tin with 4 muffin cups. Divide the date mixture evenly among the cups and press to create a mini compact crust. Then spoon the filling on to the crust. If you have extra filling then just pour it into another muffin cup for a crustless version...or just eat it right then and there with a spoon. Top with a sprinkle of shredded coconut and some lime zest, if desired.
4. Place in the freezer for at least a couple of hours or until solid. I like to let them sit out for 10 minutes to soften up a bit, but they are also good straight from the freezer.

Recipe and photo by Natalie Bickford.

Strawberry Coconut Pops

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen strawberries (you can mix and match different berries)

• 1 can (13.5 fl oz) unsweetened coconut milk

• 4 tbsp honey (or other sweetener)

Directions

Place about half of the frozen fruit in a food processor or blender and blend until the fruit is mostly pulverized.

Add coconut milk & honey, mix, add the remaining fruit and mix again until even.

Pour into popsicle molds or ice cube trays & refreeze.

This recipe is also really great with frozen orange slices. This is also a great way to use up honey that's crystalized. The little honey crystals are delicious mixed in the pops.

Maple Cinnamon Candied Almonds

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups raw almonds

• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 teaspoon water

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

1. Bake the almonds on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until they smell toasty. You should smell a nutty aroma coming from the oven when the almonds are ready. Remove the almonds from the oven and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar and sea salt and set the bowl aside.

3. Combine the maple syrup, water, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.

4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and add the almonds.

5. Cook until the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently, which will take about 2-3 minutes. The liquid should turn into a sticky mess before it evaporates.

6. Transfer the nuts to the bowl with the coconut sugar.  Stir and make sure that they're well coated. Pour the almonds onto a piece of parchment paper to cool.

(If you eat one warm, the almonds will still be soft, but don't worry. Once completely cooled, the almonds and the coating become crunchy.)

Recipe adpated from Texanerin Baking

Kale Salad

Ingredients

• 1 bunch lacinato kale

• 2 oz grated parmesan cheese (1.5 cups)

• 1 oz chopped almonds (small handful)

• Dressing:

• 1/8 c olive oil

• 1 tbs lemon juice

• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

• 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)

• 1/2 tsp pepper (more to taste)

Instructions

Rinse kale and remove rib. Chop to bite size pieces. Sprinkle cheese and almonds over kale. Mix the remaining ingredients for the dressing. Toss everything together. Taste and adjust as needed.

 

Avocado Cucumber Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 avocados, pit removed

• 1 cucumber, peeled

• 1/4 red onion, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, halved

• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

• 3/4 cup plain yogurt

• 1 cup water

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

• Lime wedges, for topping

• Chopped cilantro, for topping

Directions

Place all of the ingredients except the toppings into a food processor or high-powered blender. Puree/blend until smooth

Store in the fridge until chilled. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.  Optional: Sprinkle a generous amount of cayenne on top for some extra heat)

Recipe adapted by Natalie Bickford.