Movin’ On Up to April Menus

Moving on from March, here’s the online order form for DDoW April 2015. Please go to the DDoW Order page, scroll down to the embedded form and fill out what you’d like. Here’s a quickie summary of what’s cookin’.

April 6 -10th
1) Organic Tempeh & Stir-fried Shredded Potatoes in Black Bean Sauce (v gf)
2) Sesame-seasoned Organic Brown Rice & Bok Choy (v gf)

April 13-17th
1) Organic White Bean & Kale Soup with Sage (v gf)
2) Organic Quinoa, Red Bell Pepper & Cuke Salad in Dill Dijon Vinaigrette (v gf)

April 20-24th
1) Caribbean Coconut Curry of Organic Lentils & Plantains (v gf)
2) Organic Millet & Spinach (organic) Pilaf (v gf)

Roast Beets & Cabbage Salad (my photo).

April 27 -May 1st
1) Organic Chickpea & Barley w/ Kalamata Olives (v, not gf)
2) Roast Beet & Fresh Cabbage Salad in Horseradish Vinaigrette (v gf). An antioxidant powerhouse. Bam!

 

 

And, We’re Movin’ On Up

I am moving to a new house in St Paul !  Please note my new home & business address effective April 20th: 620 Desnoyer Ave, St Paul 55104. [One Dish at A Time’s base of operations remains at GIA Kitchen.]  Well, there are no sofas but I do have a fabulous new dining table and cool chairs. I have my priorities, you know.

Other “Moves”:

• Just taught a community ed cooking class titled “Power Up with Beans & Greens”. The students and I made 5 dishes. They took home lots of practical tips, several recipes and food samples to share. One student wrote:
  

  “It was a great class. I’m already putting some of the principles to work and have been enjoying the dishes I brought home and doing interesting things with them. I combined the white beans and kale dish with chicken broth and cut-up chicken — it was delicious. “

• I’m scheduling private cooking lessons with a new cooking coaching client to help her adjust to a vegan diet. More about my lessons.

• I’m currently planning menus for catering gigs in May, including an engagement party, a graduation picnic and a volunteer dinner.

  I’m available for more catering this summer, so please kindly refer me to your social networks! 

 

 

 

SLURP IT UP

It’s Soup Season!  My latest Delivered Dish of the Week menus feature soups nearly every week. The great thing about soups — and all my autumn & winter dishes in general — is that you can freeze them in small containers to enjoy later. Furthermore, ziploc bags of soup, frozen flat, can be stored vertically to save freezer space.

You can order online right here for any weeks you wish.  Easy peasy.  If you’ve never ordered before, do please read the full description of Delivered Dish of the Week service first.

MENUS FOR DDOW OCT 27 – DEC 1ST

Week of Oct 27th

Beautiful Beet Soup (my photo)

Blood Red Beet & Lentil Soup w/ Ginger
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars. A satisfying fiber-rich soup for Halloween, to counteract any candy.  Very popular with beet-lovers plus a natural source of iron.

Fried Brown Rice w/ Shredded Cabbage & Carrots flavored with Coriander, Mustard & Fennel Seeds.
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars. One of a hundred easy variations on fried rice.  I add stronger spices here to spark up organic brown rice. A great way to use up left-over rice, too. Sauteed cabbage w/ fennel seed is a lovely, mild side dish by itself and, so easy to make at home –– try it.

Week of Nov 3rd
Squash Soup w/ Red Chile & Mint
Vegan GF, Paleo, soy-free, no added sugars. Spicy red chile & cooling fresh mint adds a nice twist on a classic autumnal soup. Dollop with queso fresco or yogurt to dress it up.

Butternut Squash Soup w/ Red Chile & Mint (Splendidtable.com)

Beans & Greens Tamale Casserole w/ Tomatillo Sauce
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars; contains corn. Clients voted this an all-time favorite!  I always add chopped dark greens to beans for added nutrition and fiber. The mild tangy sauce disguises the taste of greens, too, if you have fussy eaters. It comes in a mini-loaf foil pan.

Week of Nov 10th
Minestrone w/ Rice Pasta
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo option. Rice elbow noodles, kidney beans, green beans and other veg in a light tomato broth. I like Tinkyada brand rice pasta. You can request no pasta & no beans for Paleo diets.

 Roast Ratatouille w/ Lentils
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo option. I adore ratatouille. Period. Especially when made of garden-sourced veg. I roasted & froze this in Sept for a wonderful infusion of summer days gone by. And it’s incredibly versatile: plop it on mashed pots for shepherd’s pie, spread on pizza, fill burritos, add to pasta sauce, et al.  You can request no-beans for Paleo version.

Week of Nov 17th

Ripe, medium ripe and green plaintains (web photo). Called the pasta of the Caribbean.

Caribbean Coconut Curry
Vegan GF, Paleo, soy-free, no added sugars. From Isa Moskowitz’s Appetite for Reduction cookbook and featuring naturally sweet steamed plantains. Mildly spiced. Really yummy.

 Quinoa Pilaf w/ Spinach & Cilantro
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars. A nice green pilaf that complements the curry.

 Week of Nov 24th: Impress your guests! Terrific with turkey.
Polenta w/ Sage
GF, soy-free, no added sugars; contains corn and dairy unless you request no dairy. Smooth polenta makes a great gluten-free side. For a stuffing substitute, brush slices w/ olive oil and broil til crispy on top, then chunk it up. Yes, it’s fab with turkey & gravy on top.

Wilted Kale & Roasted Beet Salad in Tahini Dressing
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo. Two super foods in one dish to complement (and dare I say, counteract) starchy holiday meals. Creamy tahini softens raw kale’s texture while sweet roast beets balance its flavor. Sprinkle seeds or nuts on top, and/or go more even gourmet w/ dollops of goat cheese.

Week of Dec 1st
Smoky Split Pea Soup
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars. I always add chopped collard greens and puree the whole thing to hide it. Sometimes I add nori seaweed as well for extra umami (savoriness); it melts away. Smoked paprika provides that “ham” flavor.

Puerto Rican Rice
Vegan GF, soy-free, no added sugars. Another easy variation on rice w/ green bell peppers, sweet peas , tomatoes and some tumeric for color. However, it won’t be exactly the national dish of Puerto Rico as I’m omitting the grandule verde (pigeon peas) and using brown basmati instead of white.

Delivered Dishes = Dinner, Done!

Want a little respite from planning and cooking meals?  Why not have fresh healthful home-made food delivered directly to your office or home?  Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free! That’s my Delivered Dish of the Week service in a nutshell.

I’ve been churning out all sorts of tasty dishes this summer and am now able to get lovely fresh produce from local farmers. Yay!

All you need to do is order online right here for any weeks you wish.  Easy peasy.  If you’ve never ordered before, do please read full description of Delivered Dish of the Week service first.

Here are the menus for the month of August: 

AUG 4 – 10, 2014
White Bean Succotash: A classic summer combo of organic zucchini & corn, this time with creamy white beans instead of fresh lima beans, plus fresh sage for fun. Good hot or room-temp. Vegan, GF, no added sugars or soy.

Jambalaya: Short grain brown rice with the Cajun trifecta of celery, green peppers and onions and spices. I may even throw in some crunchy stir-fried okra. Tastes better when heated up. Vegan, GF, no added sugars or soy. 

AUG 11 – 16

Balsamic Green Beans (photo by Brad Dahlgaard)

Chickpea & Oat Berries Pilaf w/ Tomatoes, Olives & Mint: Based on a terrific recipe from Splendid Table. Clients love this chewy toothsome pilaf. This time I’m using Oat Berries instead of Barley — they’re basically interchangeable. Good hot or room-temp. Has gluten. Vegan, no added sugars or soy. 

 

Balsamic-marinated Green String Beans: One of my go-to salads, year round. Simple but so, so good. Vegan, GF,  Paleo, no added sugars or soy. 

AUG 18 – 24
Spicy Millet & Lentils w/ Harissa Sauce: Millet is an under-utilized whole grain that is high in protein. And, it’s gluten-free. Here I add protein-rich lentils and zing it up with home-made Harissa sauce. Pls note, millet dries out quickly, so add a bit of water when you reheat. Vegan, GF, no added sugars or soy. 

Big, dappled Spanish Tolosna beans (pic Purcellmountainfarm.com).

Heirloom Bean Salad: This will feature farmers’ market veggies, organic heirloom beans from local Encore Farm and a nice tart vinaigrette.  Vegan, GF, no added sugars or soy. 

 

 

 

 

AUG 25 – 31 ( Pre- Labor Day)
Both these salads are perfect to serve at holiday BBQs & potlucks!

Hominy Salad (my pic)

Hominy Salad in Lime Cilantro Pesto: Chewy hominy (dried corn) and crunchy seasonal veggies makes an interesting and filling side dish.  Vegan, GF, no added sugars or soy. 

“Aunty Oxidant” demos Firecracker Slaw.

Firecracker Slaw in Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette: My ever-popular fiber-rich slaw of crunchy shredded cabbage, kale, carrot and beet (yes, raw beets), spiked with a surprising vinaigrette. I often demo this at Farmers’ Market & other community events. It converts even beet-phobes! Vegan, GF, Paleo, no added sugars or soy. 

 

 

 

 

 

SEP 1 – 7
Zucchini “Linguine” in Raw Tomato Basil Sauce: Carb-less zucchini noodles can satisfy that pasta craving and have even fooled folks.  And there’s nothing like fresh tomatoes from the farm. Vegan, GF, Paleo, no added sugars or soy. Pls note, pureed raw tomatoes spoil faster due to its high sugar content, so this doesn’t last as long as my typical salads. Eat within 4-5 days.

Romesco Beans & Rice: Romesco is a classic and addictive Catalan pesto of pureed roast red peppers & garlic. However, I’m leaving out the traditional ground almonds to make a thinner sauce that will flavor this great vegan main dish. Vegan, GF, no added sugars or soy.

ORDER ONLINE RIGHT HERE!  I’ll confirm you as a new client and send delivery info. I also send out weekly confirmations of orders.

September menus will be posted in a couple weeks. Look for Gazpacho, Thai Farmers’ Market Chowder and Roasted Ratatouille, among other harvest-based goodies.

Orange is the New….

Fight off the flu with veggies & fruit

Spring colds & flu have been rampant lately (fell victim myself), so be sure to pump yourself full of antioxidants in whatever way you can. I’m fighting back with blueberry & super green powder smoothies, lots of spinach & kale and juicy oranges.

The next 7 weeks of DDoW Menus features, in fact, lots of orange-colored dishes to herald spring and boost our Vitamin A levels, ranging from Ethiopian Millet & Sweet Potatoes to Butternut Squash Soup. And green too, of course.

Orange ya glad I said orange?

Without further ado, here’s the menu cycle. To order any of those weeks’ dishes, go to the Order Form on the Order page. Learn more about DDoW.

DDOW MENU FOR MARCH 24 – MAY 12

Mar 24 – 29 – PALEO WEEK

A ‘spiralizer’ makes awesome noodles out of veg & fruit!

Carrot Coconut Soup  Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo. Thai flavors such as lemongrass & ginger make this basic combo interesting. I was inspired by a pumpkin soup recipe in a Martha Stewart’s Everyday Living mini-mag. 

Veggie Noodle Salad in Ginger Peanut Dressing  Vegan, gluten-free, no added sugars, Paleo; contains GF tamari and peanuts. Lovely crunchy No-Carb salad with ‘noodles’ made of carrots, zucchini and daikon, plus bean sprouts, in everybody’s favorite dressing.

Mar 31 – Apr 5

“Appetite for Reduction” by Isa Moskowitz.

Scarlet Barley. Vegan, soy-free, no added sugars; contains gluten. A brilliantly hued beets & barley dish from Moskowitz’ Appetite for Reduction vegan cookbook. Factoid: beets have 6 times the iron of carrots. Women, eat your beets!

Black Bean Veg Salad. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars. Spiked with citrus & crunchy veg to complement the earthy barley dish.

Apr 7 – 13

Ethiopian Millet & Sweet Potatoes.  Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars.   Another dish adapted from Appetite for Reduction cookbook. This millet pilaf has an interestingly spiced tomato sauce, reminiscent of an Indian curry but not quite. Sweet potatoes add sweetness and moisture. Not spicy hot. [Millet dries out fast, so sprinkle some water on it before you reheat.]

Green Beans & Lentil Cassoulet.  Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars.   A lightly braised combo in a light broth with a bit of ginger that won’t overwhelm the Millet dish.

Apr 14 – 20

Garbanzo Piccata w/ Spinach (my photo).

Garbanzo & Mushroom Piccata.  Vegan, soy-free, no added sugars. Also from the Appetite for Reduction cookbook. Guess it’s Moskowitz Month!  I was very happy with this dish last year — substantial yet not heavy, in a light wine sauce brightened with lemon, capers & parsley. This time I’m adding mushrooms.

Green Rice.  Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars. Eco-farmed brown rice mixed with chopped organic spinach & green peppers.

Apr 21 – 27  PALEO WEEK

Butternut Squash Soup w/ Red Chile & Mint (Splendidtable.com)

Butternut Squash Soup w/ Red Chile & Mint. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo. Got this lovely and interesting recipe from the Splendid Table newsletter with which to use up my stock of Sno-Pac frozen organic squash. 

Cabbage & Carrot Slaw in Grapefruit Ginger Vinaigrette Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo. A light, crunchy & refreshing complement to the silken soup and, packed with vitamins and fiber.

Apr 28 – May 3 

Sweet Red Pepper Soup – Paleo.  Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo. This popped up in my inbox from Vegetarian Times newsletter. More orange & red!  And only 120 cal per serving. It’s meant to be garnished with a swirl of basil cream, but I’ll do a basil pistou instead. You can add some basil pesto, cream or yoghurt yourself.

Wheat Berry & Veg Salad. Vegan, soy-free, no added sugars; contains gluten. A toothsome marinated salad featuring chewy wheat berries, crunchy veg and some dried cranberries.

May 5 – 11  

Chicken Mafe Stew w/ Spinach. Sub beans for meat.

Black-eyed Peas & Green Beans in Mafe Sauce. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars; contains peanut butter. A traditional West African stew in a tomato-based sauce that is mild and comforting. Mafe sauce has been repeatedly approved by kids, so if your kids can get over the beans & veg, they’ll like it.  Not spicy.

Millet & Greens. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars. Millet is a staple of Africa and therefore the perfect complement to Mafe Stew. And, it’s very high in protein. If you’ve never cooked millet, try it! It comes out like a nutty-tasting couscous. 

May 12 – 18

Potato, Leek & Minted Pea Soup – Paleo. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars, Paleo. Here’s a nice comfort soup with a twist — a nod to spring in anticipation of the beginning of our harvest season. Unfortunately, it won’t have locally grown peas and mint b/c it will be too early. 

White Beans w/ Carrots, Kale & Sage. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars.  A simple mixture w/ orange & green veg, aromatically seasoned with sage.

May 19 – 25  VACATION 

To order any dish, submit the easy form on the Order page. 

Utilitarian Does Not Mean Boring

This is why those dishes I choose to share here and link to on my FB page lean toward the utilitarian and not the drool-inducing “gourmet” ones, gorgeously illustrated in all those columns/blogs/newsletters that I receive weekly from Splendid Table, Mark Bittman (NYT), etc. My cookbooks lean that way, too.

Of course, those recipes & photos make me sigh with desire. But, sorry, I am not going to run out to the store for artichokes, broccoli rabe, hazelnuts or creme fraiche. So if they call for such ‘fancy’ ingredients, I use them for inspiration instead of following them exactly. 

Consequently, my take on utilitarian has become more broad yet still economical through keeping many spices & herbs on hand and trying different recipes with basics like rice, barley and beans. Whether you’re eating vegan or Paleo, you’ve got to keep it interesting.

See Spice is the Variety of Life blogpost for 8 easy, different rice-based dishes.  Another example: at this week’s Paleo Basics class at Mazopiya Natural Foods Market, I demo’d Moroccan Chermoula paste, a “pesto” of fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, ground cumin & paprika. Then I gave the students samples of it with sauteed collards, with chicken AND as a creamy dressing thickened with avocado. One great condiment equals oodles of combos!

I also stock up on organic, frozen pre-cut veggies from Sno-Pac, a MN company, which I buy wholesale via my Buying Club. (You can do this, too — contact me to find out how.) Having these veggies on hand saves me much time and money, and besides, they’re organic. 

Several dishes in this Delivered Dish of the Week menu cycle is based on this Sno-Pac supply. In general, I hope the dishes described below give you some ideas about cooking basics in versatile ways!  Order here. More about DDoW service.

DDOW MENU FOR FEB 17 – MARCH 24

Feb 17 – 23

Barley Roast Carrot Pilaf  Vegan, soy-free, no added sugars. Contains gluten; you can order Brown Rice for GF option. Simple and hearty, with rosemary.

Super Green Split Pea Soup Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars.  Another green soup, it will look like last week’s Kale Yam soup but features split pea & spinach and sports a “meaty” flavor courtesy of smoked paprika.

Feb 25 – Mar 1

Cooked kasha, aka buckwheat groats.

Indian-style Kasha & Cabbage Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars. Kasha is a common term for Buckwheat Groats, a gluten-free grain. It’s like an earthy brown rice. Here I flavor it heavily with Indian spices cumin, coriander & mustard seed, and add lightly braised shredded cabbage for sweetness and texture. It’s terrific with spicy roasted almonds. 

4-Jewel Dal w/ Spinach  Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars.   A lovely recipe from cookbook queen Madhur Jaffrey that uses a variety of dal legumes including small brown lentils, split yellow lentils and split white pigeon peas. Each adds a slightly different texture.

Mar 3 – 9

Basic garbanzo & veg salad. This week’s will have only or mostly cukes. (Photo by Brad Dahlgaard.)

Turkish Tomato Wheat-berry Stew   Vegan, soy-free, no added sugars. Contains gluten; choose no wheat-berry for GF option.  Thickened with red lentil dal & eggplant and brightened with fresh mint & parsley. Very popular!

Garbanzo Cuke Salad  Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars. A substantial marinated salad flavored with Middle Eastern zatar spice mix and lemon juice. (I got the zatar at Holy Land Deli grocery in NE Mpls, a mecca for interesting spices.)

Mar 10 – 16

Veg & Bean Mole Stew  Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars.  Organic red bell peppers & beans dominate this rich concoction. I discovered online a passable, much simplified recipe for mol-eh sauce based on raisins, cacao and tomato paste. I first made it with the kids at the Arboretum Cooking Camps last summer and they liked it.

Quinoa Corn Salad in Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars. A light refreshing complement to the hearty mole stew, with organic quinoa and organic sweet corn.

Mar 17 – 23  PALEO WEEK

You can quickly make zucchini ‘noodles’ with a spiralizer. It’s a great pasta substitute.

Carrot Coconut Soup  Vegan, gluten-, soy-free, no added sugars. Thai flavors such as lemongrass & ginger make this basic combo interesting. I was inspired by a pumpkin soup recipe in Martha Stewart’s Everyday Living mini-mag (I think). 

Veggie Noodle Salad in Ginger Peanut Dressing  Vegan, gluten-free, no added sugars; contains soy (tamari). Lovely crunchy No-Carb salad with ‘noodles’ made of carrots, zucchini and daikon, plus bean sprouts, in everybody’s favorite dressing.

Mar 24 – 30

Ruby Barley Vegan, soy-free, no added sugars; contains gluten. A brilliantly hued beets & barley dish from Moskowitz’ Appetite for Reduction vegan cookbook.

Black Bean Veg Salad Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugars. Spiked with citrus & crunchy veg to complement the earthy & soft barley dish.

 

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

This week’s DDoW dishes were Spanish Shepherd’s Pie and Minestrone, both vegan, gluten-free and pretty low-fat, too. Hot comfort foods hit the spot during the Arctic weather we’re suffering through this week. BRRR.

Spanish Shepherd’s Pie: Mushroom & TVP filling, spiked w/ green olives & raisins, topped with Yukon Gold mashed pots (my photo).

Minestrone soup w/o noodles, and featuring green beans, broccoli, diced collards and carrots (my photo). Simple and “clean”.

I have to say, the vegan Shepherd’s Pie is yummy. The filling comprises sauteed mushrooms, celery, onions and TVP, plus green olives & raisins a la picadillo, which is why I named it “Spanish”. Picadillo is normally a savory ground beef mixture with green olives & raisins. I think I first had it inside an empanada at a nouveau Mexican place called Zona. I’ve since used it in tamales and combined it with rice.

Shepherd’s Pie is dead easy to make and freezes well. You could experiment with different kinds of filling, both meat and vegetarian/vegan. As long as there’s gravy!  To thicken the mushroom mixture, I used starchy potato water from the bottom of the pot. Btw, I mashed the pots with olive oil and plain soy milk. 

To make this totally Paleo, omit the TVP and add ground meat. For a church basement twist, use tater tots instead of mashed pots!  Variation: a Mexican flavored filling + mashed sweet potatoes.

Per my usual Bulk Cooking habit, I made twice the amount of filling necessary. As mentioned above, the mushroom mixture works very well tossed together with a whole grain, like “fried rice” type dish. I would add finely chopped green veg, too.  See more grain dish ideas.

Also, I made a different shepherd’s pie casserole with the left-over mashed pots and last week’s Lentil & Carrot Stew. Repurposing left-overs adds variety into your repertoire, reduces food waste and saves you money and time — hitting the trifecta with one blow. 

Greens, Oranges & Reds to Combat Winter Blues

New Winter Menus for Delivered Dish of the Week

Browse the dishes below, then go to the Ordering page’s Online Form to place your orders in advance. Ordering deadlines are the Sat prior to delivery week. If you’re a new client, please do fill out the Delivery Instruction field with as many specifics as possible. More info on DDoW service.

Btw, dish descriptions are here, while specific ingredient lists are within the Online Form.

A note about delivery: all dishes can be frozen, therefore they should be fine sitting on your stoop until you get home!

Roast Beets & Cabbage Salad (my photo).

Jan 13 – 18
Curried Lentil & Carrot Stew  (vegan, GF, soy-free, no added sugars). Ok, lentils aren’t colorful nor particularly pretty but, this hearty stew with a bit of coconut milk will satisfy winter cravings. 

Roast Beet & Cabbage Salad with Sesame Tarator Dressing (vegan, GF, soy-free, Paleo, no added sugars). Here’s the pretty: “Pretty in pink” in a bowl, both smooth and crunchy. Beets with sesame dressings are my new favorite, inspired by “Mediterranean Fresh” by Joyce Goldstein. If this is a bit frozen when you rescue it from your front door, flip it out on to a large plate to thaw to room temp.

Jan 20 – 25
Spanish Shepherd’s Pie (vegan, GF, Paleo, no added sugars; contains soy).  Minced mushrooms and TVP flavored with olives & raisins provide a savory ‘meaty’ protein to balance mashed Yukon Gold potatoes. This will come in a small foil loaf pan, in case you want to brown it in the oven at home.

Red & Green Soup (vegan, GF, soy-free, Paleo, no added sugars). A simple Minestrone-like soup with lots of green veg, tomato and a few beans, sans noodles.

Fresh edamame (soy beans) have a firm texture and nutty taste. Also called sweet beans.

Jan 27 – Feb 1
Jambalaya (vegan, GF, soy-free, no added sugars). Let’s have Mardi Gras a month early!  A toothsome brown rice dish chock full of celery & bell peppers. Add your own shrimp or sausage if you wish, and pass the hot sauce.

Edamame Succotash (vegan, GF, no added sugars; contains soy). Lima bean-phobes rejoice, because I’m substituting local, organic edamame beans from Sno-Pac, a southern MN company. Organic sweet corn, zucchini (non-organic probably, sorry), sweet onions and fresh dill round out this classic dish.

Feb 3 – 8
Veggie Tamale Casserole (vegan, GF, soy-free, no added sugars). Terry Hope Romero in her cookbook “Viva Vegan” says these are “inspired by tamales from the Sinaloa region of Mexico”, because veggies are worked right into the dough instead of serving as a filling. Green tomatillos and a bit of capers add tang. 

Red Posole with slaw on top (my photo). Life-giving.

Red Posole Soup w/ Beans & Hominy (vegan, GF, soy-free, no added sugars). This hearty Mexican soup is a godsend on a frigid day. Full of tomatoes, green peppers, beans & chewy hominy. Medium spicy. Top with the traditional garnish of shredded cabbage, radishes, cilantro and squeezed fresh lime. It’s like having soup and salad in the same bowl.

Feb 10 – 15
Kale Yam Soup with Sage (vegan, GF, soy-free, Paleo, no added sugars). From “Love Soup” by Anna Thomas. I love this delicious combination of sweet pots, kale, spinach, parsley and caramelized onions, pureed til smooth and perfumed with sage.

Soft Garlicky Green Beans & Tempeh (vegan, GF, no added sugars). Tomatoey garlicky green beans, courtesy of Crescent Dragonwagon’s book “Bean for Bean”, plus high-protein organic tempeh to soak up the sauce. Note, you can choose the no-tempeh option (and then it’s Paleo-friendly). Yes, that is her name. Great cookbook.

More casseroles, cassoulets and cazuelas to come in Feb & March! 

Inspiration & Perspiration

I’ve been so remiss about blogging!  I have about 10 backlogged topics I could easily expound upon– and hope to one day– such as

• stories of teaching the Arboretum Cooking Camps to the nicest bunch of 8 – 12 year olds;
• cooking for a family with Alkaline diet needs;
• how the government shutdown affected nutrition of low-income women & children;
• all the catering I’ve been doing, from board retreats to a large wedding dinner;
• new cookbooks I just picked up, like “Viva Vegan”; etc.

But that is for another day. Today I’m announcing the next 6 week-cycle of Delivered Dish of the Week (DDoW), which takes us up through Thanksgiving.

Bonanza haul from Farmers’ Market, Sept (my pic).

I find inspiration everywhere, from my own archive of dishes and cookbooks to newsletters and restaurants.

I’m always inspired by the Farmers Markets these days. I also like to peruse the aisles of grocery stores and see what catches my eye. If I like the name of a bottled salad dressing or a sauce, I take a picture of the ingredient list and try to incorporate its flavors into something.

I also look to organic food sources such as Azure Standard (Oregon), boutique producers like Purcell Mountain Farm (Idaho) and Sno Pac Foods (from southern MN). Purcell offers heirloom beans, so I tried some last cycle. This week I was able to order cases of frozen organic ‘sweet beans’ (fresh shelled edamame) from Sno Pac, so these will be featured in December.

Perspiration is what transpires between the photo above and the photos of dishes below. I don’t always love the process but often, I find chopping and stirring rather satisfying.  I let my hands take over, while my mind listens to MPR podcasts and wanders. And, I love the results.

DDOW OCT 21 – NOV 28

OCT 21 – 26

1) Pureed Celery Parsnip Parsley Soup. V, GF, Paleo, soy-free & no added sugars. Exactly what it says, with a bit of potato added to counter the sweetness of the parsnips. Fresh parsley and lemon juice brighten it up. Very mild and comforting.

2) Barley Mushroom Lentil Pilaf. V, soy-free & no added sugars; contains gluten. A very earthy, autumnal and toothsome dish. Wonderfully chewy, in contrast to the pureed soup.

OCT 28 – NOV 1

Beautiful Beet Soup (my photo)1) Zombie Blood Soup, aka Gingery Beet & Cabbage Borscht. V, GF, Paleo, soy-free & no added sugars.  Several clients love this and always order extra. And, if a delicious nourishing soup doesn’t do it for you, throw in some hard-boiled eggs for floating eyeballs and scare the kids.

1) Zombie Blood Soup, aka Gingery Beet & Cabbage Borscht. V, GF, Paleo, soy-free & no added sugars.  Several clients love this and always order extra. And, if a delicious nourishing soup doesn’t do it for you, throw in some hard-boiled eggs for floating eyeballs and scare the kids.

2) Rat Hot Dish, aka, Polenta Ratatouille Casserole. GF,  soy-free & no added sugars.  Reprise of ratatouille layered with smooth polenta in a loaf or pie pan, with the addition of white beans. Polenta will have butter and parmesan/romano cheese unless you indicate the no-dairy version. Probably really good with Fritos on top.

NOV 4 – 8

Diff kinds of red beans: (clockwise from top) kidney, Giant Scarlet Runner Beans and  Spanish Tolosna (my pic).

1) Creamy Kidney Bean, Carrot & Collard Mafe Stew. V, GF, soy-free & no added sugars; contains peanut butter. Option of almond butter if you have peanut sensitivities. West African Mafe is one of my top 10 comfort foods. It becomes more than the sum of its simple parts ( tomato sauce, peanut butter, some spices) and morphs into a rich creamy sauce. Excellent with any ingredients– in this case, hearty veg. Serve over a grain or with crusty bread.

2) Millet & Sweet Potato Pilaf. V, GF, soy-free & no added sugars. Fluffy millet with roast sweet pots and caramelized onions. A staple in Africa, millet is a high-protein gluten-free grain. People ask me why mine is fluffy while theirs comes out gloppy. I use the same amount of water as with brown rice, no more, and, after taking it off the heat, I let it steam in the pot. However, millet tends to dry out quickly, so when you reheat this dish, you must sprinkle a bit of water on top beforehand.

NOV 11 – 15

Firecracker Slaw (my pic).

1) Pureed Pumpkin & White Bean Soup. V, GF, soy-free & no added sugars.  Ordered a case of organic pumpkin puree for this fiber-licious thick soup. White beans add protein, mire poix adds depth, and a little lime juice & cayenne adds kick. For a treat, add a dollop of sour cream that has been mixed with lime juice.  Perfect with a tart salad…like a slaw.

2) Firecracker Slaw in Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette.  V, GF, Paleo, soy-free & no added sugars. My standby all-star dish for demonstrations and holidays. Its bright colors, lively tang and considerable crunch will wake you up. Eat all you want, it’s zero points.

NOV 18 – 22

1) Caribbean Butter Bean Stew w/ Steamed Plantains. V, GF, soy-free & no added sugars. This was a big hit when I first served it in May. A light coconut sauce binds it all together. And hey, plantains are good carbs! From the terrific, must-buy “Appetite for Reduction” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

2) Jamaican Jerk Quinoa Pilaf w/ Corn.  V, GF, soy-free & no added sugars.  Instead of the stew being spicy, this time it’s the grain. Just for fun. If you want to cool it down, add yogurt.

NOV 25 – 29 THANKSGIVING WEEK
Bring these dishes to a holiday meal and be prepared for profuse compliments!

Braised Collards, Bell Peppers & Raisins (my photo).

1) Braised Collards w/ Red Bell Peppers & Raisins.  V, GF, Paleo, soy-free & no added sugars.  Another holiday favorite! There are many nice variations of this dish– Soul Food has one with orange juice — but my friend Carol is the source for this particular knock-out, for which I am forever thankful.

2) Roasted Tempeh & Potatoes in Chermoula Sauce. V, GF, no added sugars; contains soy. Savory Moroccan Chermoula herb paste does wonders for meats, beans, roots and grains. Here, it perfectly enhances nutty soy tempeh. This was a hearty vegan entree I served at a fall wedding.

Note: Please be aware that this week’s dishes will be priced slightly higher than usual.  Processing fresh collards take forever and organic tempeh is pricier than beans.

TO ORDER:  fill out & submit the online Order Form on this blog. You can order a bunch of dishes in advance or return to the form once a week, as you wish. Deadlines are Saturdays for deliveries the following week. See general info on Delivered Dish of the Week service.

PS: The Online Form lists the week, the name of each dish and its ingredients. These fuller Dish descriptions above are archived on the DDoW Menu Archive page in case you want to find them again. Or, search this blog for “DDoW”. 

To Market, To Market

Fresh peppers, eggplant, tomatoes & zucchini ready for making Ratatouille (my photo).

Finally, the Farmers Markets in the Twin Cities are chock-full and bursting!  Yay!  Enough for me to base Delivered Dish of the Week (DDoW) menus on nearly all locally grown produce. Everything looks gorgeous. Due to the late start, though, there aren’t enough weeks now left in summer to feature all the veg that is available, such as okra. Yeah, you’re making a face, but have you tried it crunchy and spicy, flash stir-fried with garam masala?!  

Anyway, here are the menus for the next 6 weeks of DDoW. To order, go to the online Order Form on this blog. You can order a bunch of dishes in advance or return to the form once a week, as you wish. Deadlines are Saturdays for deliveries the following week. See general info on Delivered Dish of the Week service.

PS: The Online Form lists the week, the name of each dish and its ingredients. These fuller Dish descriptions below are included on the DDoW Menu Archive page in case you want to find them again. Or, search this blog for “DDoW”. 

DDOW MENUS FOR SEPTEMBER 2013

SEPT 2 – 7

Roast Beets & Cabbage Salad  (my photo).

Quinoa Kale Salad in Horseradish Vinaigrette (V, GF, soy-free, no added sugar)  Finely chopped kale and a crunchy market veg add color, substance and fiber to quinoa, and lemon and horseradish adds a kick.

Roast Beet & Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing (V, Paleo, GF, soy-free, no added sugar) Tender ruby cubes and crunchy green strips, this time bound by a tahini dressing. My favorite summertime cookbook, Mediterranean Fresh by Joyce Goldstein, matches beets with sesame dressing (among many others). I adore everything in this cookbook so I’m sure this combination will delight. 

SEPT 9 – 14

A bowl of whole kernel hominy (web pic).

Spicy Chile Verde with Beans (V, GF, soy-free, no added sugar)  An opportunity to see why chef Crescent Dragonwagon in her book Bean for Bean insists there is no substitute for Santa Fe Green Chilies from New Mexico. With green bell peppers. 

Cuke, Corn & Hominy Salad in Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (V, GF, soy-free, no added sugar) As well as being the basis of Posole stew, chewy hominy (rehydrated treated white corn kernels) is surprisingly nice in salads. I’ll use raw sweet corn for added crunch and because it’s frankly easier than par-boiling. The local sweet corn has been great this season.

SEPT 16 – 21

Zucchini Linguine with Raw Tomato Sauce (my photo).

Zucchini Linguine with Raw Tomato Sauce (V, Paleo, GF, soy-free, no added sugar)  Carb-free pasta! Fresh sage and oregano flavor the simple sauce. Super low-cal.

Heirloom Bean & Veg Cassoulet with Rosemary  (V, GF, soy-free, no added sugar)  A lightly braised stew of market veg and giant heirloom scarlet runner beans (and regular red beans). Good with crusty bread, a glass of wine and thou; or all by itself. Cool beans!

SEPT 23 – 28

Romesco Beans ‘n Rice. Romesco is a nut and red pepper-based sauce from Catalan, Spain. (my photo)

Garbanzo Bean & Veg Za’atar Salad  (V, GF, soy-free, no added sugar)  Za’atar, a spice mixture popular throughout the Middle East, comprises ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds and salt, and also often ground sumac, which has a lemony tang. You might encounter it sprinkled on hummus at restaurants. Confession: I bought a large bag at Holy Land Deli on Central Ave, a local mecca of affordable spices. Run, don’t walk.

Rice Romesco  (V, GF, soy-free, no added sugar; contains almonds)  Romesco sauce is a classic Catalonian simmered sauce of mostly red bell peppers mixed with ground nuts. The carrier here is organic brown rice. You can eat this dish cold or hot. By this week, inexpensive pecks of peppers should be all over the Farmers Markets (a peck is approx 8 dry quarts, with 4 pecks to a bushel). Take advantage of the harvest bounty and make a couple quarts at home to slather on everything (can freeze). 

SEPT 29 – OCT 4

Thai Coconut Veggie Chowder — comforting, simple & quick (my photo).

Thai Coconut Farmers Market Soup (V, Paleo, GF, soy-free, no added sugar)  Like a vegetable chowder but with Thai flavors and coconut milk. Simmering it with corn cobs add extra sweetness. Expect some chopped collards or kale.

Black Beluga Lentil Salad in Sesame Ginger Dressing  (V, GF, no added sugar; will contain a little soy)  These beautiful organic lentils were another fun special-order from Purcell Mountain Farms (Idaho). I’m hoping they don’t lose their jet black color when cooked.

OCT 7 – 12

Roast Ratatouille with Beans  (V, GF, soy-free, no added sugar)  My all-time favorite late summer/ early autumn dish. Remember the animated movie, where the mean food critic finds his humanity and compassion after eating Ratatouille the rat chef’s ratatouille? It’s delicious cold or hot, by itself or mixed with grain pilaf, on pasta, in omelets, whatever. Freezes very well.

Polenta with Chopped Greens  (GF, soy-free, no added sugar; vegan option available)  Polenta is basically a creamy corn pudding flavored with butter and parmesan/romano cheese. It’s the only DDoW dish I make with dairy; you can request a dairy-free version, too. Fairly bland, polenta is a perfect foil for any dish with sauce. I’m swirling in finely chopped sauteed leafy greens. Best hot or warmed. Polenta also freezes just fine! 

Note: V = vegan, GF = gluten-free. Paleo refers to a type of diet that recommends no carbs and no sugars.

GO TO ONLINE ORDER FORM NOW

Old & New World foods for June & July

Oh, the wonders of the internet!  I’ve ordered some speciality food items online to play with. From the New World, native blue corn hominy and New Mexico Green Chile powder. From the Old World, heirloom dried beans, most of which originated in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Big, dappled Spanish Tolosna beans (pic from Purcellmountainfarm.com).

I’m particularly excited to try patterned  beans that hold their color & shape when cooked, and that apparently have distinctive flavors.  Hefty bags of dark fat Scarlet Runner, purple-brown-white Appaloosa, dappled Spanish Tolosna and inky Black Beluga Lentils are in transport this very minute. We’ll see how they cook up! 

California’s Rancho Gordo restaurant & celeb chef is the leading US gourmet heirloom bean proselytizer. Its retail site has very useful detailed descriptions of each bean’s taste. North Bay Trading Co in Wisconsin — yay, a local regional source! — sells organic beans, dried fruit & veg in bulk as does Purcell Mountain Farms in Idaho, which also carries lots of other products.

So here are the DDoW dishes for the next few weeks. It’s your turn to shop online — order DDoW right here. 

[GUIDE:   V= vegan, GF= gluten-free, and P = paleo. 99% dishes have no soy or added sugar.]

June 17 – 21

Roast Parsnip Carrots w/ Rosemary ready to be delivered to DDoW clients (my pic).

1) Roast Parsnips & Carrots w/ Rosemary (V, GF, P).  Enjoy hot, warm, or cold. Great for breakfast (why not?), on salad greens, mixed with a grain, topped with a fried/poached egg. Extend by adding to a soup or stuffing into burritos & quesadillas.
2) Quinoa & Spring Veg Soup w/ Fennel Pistou (V, GF, P).  A light lemony soup made with whatever’s avail at the Farmers Market such as peas, asparagus, spinach. Pistou is herb garlic paste.

June 24 – 28

Appaloosa heirloom bean from Purcell Mountain Farms.com (their pic).

1) Heirloom Bean Salad (V, GF). Mottled Appaloosa and other colorful legumes plus purple cabbage in a Dijon Tarragon vinaigrette.
2)  Chermoula Potato Salad (V, GF). My favorite Moroccan paste transforms bland potatoes. It’s not hot-spicy but has such an in-your-face intensity you can’t call it mild, either.  See recipe (scroll down a few recipes).

July 1 – 5  INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY

Imagine blue hominy & white beans swimming in a deep red stew! (photo from web.)

1) Red White & Blue Posole (V, GF).  Medium-spicy pepper & tomato-based stew with blue corn hominy and white beans! 

2) Firecracker Slaw w/ Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (V, GF, P).  Same as my regular Firecracker Slaw except w/ a different vinaigrette. Lots of shredded crunchy veg & apples makes the perfect picnic side. No dairy means it can sit out for hours, and, it’s low-fat.

July 8 – 12
1) Sesame Barley & Veg Salad (V, contains gluten.)Barley is wonderfully chewy and nutty. Sesame dressing may contain a little peanut butter, too.
2) Minted Daikon & Edamame Salad (V, GF, P, contains soy).  Fresh mint, garlic and rice vinegar make a terrific vinaigrette for refrigerator pickles and green salads. Maybe Kohlrabi if it’s avail.

July 15 – 19

Arroz con gandules, a Puerto Rican staple (pic from Wikipedia).

1) Arroz Con Gandules (V, GF). Puerto Rican national dish of rice & beans punched up by capers & olives. I may substitute another legume for the traditional pigeon peas.
2) Market Surprise.  Green Beans? Cukes? Cold Cucumber Soup? With this late onset of summer, it’s hard to tell what will be at market.

Coming Next: Chile Verdura featuring authentic New Mexico Green Chile, Black Beluga Lentil & Beet Salad, another funky heirloom bean dish, Turkish Tomato Wheatberry Soup….