dairy free

June – Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt
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June – Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

This is the other salad I served to my book club friends.

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Full of herbs and edible flowers, this salad was beautiful. It is meant to be eaten the day it is made, as it didn’t keep well and wasn’t particularly good the following day. The recipe came from another book by Hetty McKinnon, Family. All her books are overflowing with wonderful vegetarian meals for sharing with friends and family. This dish is particularly beautiful with all the herbs and edible flowers used as a garnish. Her recipe was written using quinoa, I substituted brown rice. However, after making it this once, I think it would be even more flavorful with farro or freekeh. It would also give a nice textural element, toothiness (is that a word?) was missing. That’s how I intend to make it next time.

The pea yogurt sauce is a nice touch. Leave it out or use a nut yogurt instead if you are going dairy free or vegan.

The flowers, herbs, and peas came from my garden. The recipe calls for peas but I used a mixture of blanched and slivered snow and snap peas. They came from the garden in Fort Bragg. I supplemented them with some frozen petit pois. You could (as the recipe was written) use all frozen peas.

Short peas growing in a raised bed, these are a mix of snap and snow peas

Short peas growing in a raised bed, these are a mix of snap and snow peas

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt (serves 4)

Ingredients: 

  • Salad –
    • 1 cauliflower head, cut into large florets
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • 1 cup of quinoa or another grain, rinsed
    • 2 cups of vegetable stock or coconut water or water
    • 2 cups of peas
    • 1 cup of microgreens
    • 1/4 cup of mint leaves
    • Garnish of edible flowers
    • salt and pepper
  • Mint-Pea Yogurt
    • 1/2 cup frozen peas
    • 1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
    • 1 cup of Greek yogurt
    • 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)
  2. Place the cauliflower florets on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 25-30 minutes until tender and turning golden. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Add your grain of choice to a saucepan with the vegetable stock, coconut water, or plain water. Bring it to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until done. Remove from the heat and cool for 5-10 minutes before draining. Fluff with a fork and squeeze the lemon over, then drizzle with olive oil.
  4. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the peas (including the ones for the sauce) for 1 minute, drain and rinse under cool running water until cold. Set aside.
  5. For the mint-pea yogurt sauce – combine the mint, 1/2 cup of the blanched peas, and the yogurt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the olive oil, syrup or honey, and season with salt and pepper. Blend again until combined. Pour into a jar and chill.
  6. When ready to assemble the salad combine the cauliflower, grain, and peas. Drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the microgreens and edible flowers.
  7. Serve the yogurt sauce on the side.

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

 

June – Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentils and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts
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June – Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentils and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

I made this salad for my Oakland book club. It was my turn to host dinner. They are a wonderful group of women, and cooking for them is a challenge I look forward to each year. My turn only comes around once a year and I spend quite a bit of time doing research. The food has to be, first, delicious. And also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian. Over the past few years, this has gotten easier. Cookbooks and online recipe forums have proliferated. It’s just a matter of finding the right one. This salad hit it out of the park. It was even yummy the next day for lunch with a scoop of cottage cheese. Leftovers would also make a wonderful base for a soup.

The recipe came from the book Community by Hetty McKinnon.

Buffet line

Buffet Line

 

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

For the sweet potatoes and salad

  • 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
  • 2-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup of dried brown lentils or 2-1/2 cups of cooked
  • 1 cup of soft herbs, chopped (use whatever you have such as parsley, mint, tarragon, chives, dill, and/or cilantro). I used a mix of chopped parsley, mint, chives, and cilantro.
  • 2 cups of baby arugula
  • 1/2 cup of shaved parmesan

For the sweet vinaigrette

  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the honey-roasted walnuts

  • 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon of dried chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 cups of walnuts

Method:

  1. Roast the sweet potatoes.
    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C) and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and ground spices. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well to coat the potatoes with the spices.
    3. Spread the potatoes on one sheet pan and roast for about 30 minutes until they are tender and starting to brown.
  2. Prepare the walnuts.
    1. Combine the honey with the chili flakes, turmeric, salt, and enough water to make a thick paste. (I did this in the same bowl I used for the sweet potatoes.)
    2. Coat the walnuts with the paste and spread on the second baking sheet.
    3. Roast for 10-12 minutes until the walnuts are crunchy and almost dry. They will crisp as they cool. Watch them carefully as they will burn quickly. They may still be a bit sticky which is fine.
  3. Make the sweet vinaigrette.
    1. Whisk together all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Prepare the lentils.
    1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the lentils, and simmer over medium heat until they are tender but not falling apart. Use the directions on your package for timing. Drain.
    2. While the lentils are still warm, stir through the vinaigrette.
  5. Assemble the salad in a large bowl or on a platter. Combine half the herbs with the arugula, sweet potato, and lentils. Season well.
  6. To serve, scatter over the remaining herbs, the walnuts, and shaved parmesan.

Serve the salad at room temperature. It can be made ahead up to step 5. Bring it to room temperature before serving and add the herbs, walnuts, and parmesan.

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Quinn thought she should have a taste.

Quinn - Can I have a bite?

Quinn – Can I have a bite?

View from the Oakland condo of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County at sunset.

Mt. Tamalpais

Mt. Tamalpais

March – Cauliflower Coconut Curry with Cashews
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March – Cauliflower Coconut Curry with Cashews

This recipe came out of the New York Times, originally from Meera Sodha’s cookbook Made in India. It was adapted by Jennifer Steinhauer and further adapted by me. I always read the comments after the recipe is in the Times, they are entertaining and frequently very helpful. Many commenters wrote that the spices should be doubled (which I did). I will put the original measurement in parenthesis after the ingredient.

The original recipe also called for the addition of 1/2 cup of frozen peas, which would be beautiful. (If you decide to use peas, add them at the last 5 minutes.) I had a package of cubed butternut squash that needed cooking, and used it instead. I lightly coated the cubes with coconut oil and roasted them at 450 degrees F till brown and almost tender. I then added them for the last 5 minutes to reheat and soften, garnishing the finished dish with pea tendrils and cilantro.

Cauliflower Coconut and Cashew Curry

Cauliflower Coconut and Cashew Curry

Whenever my mother made curry, she laid out small dishes of ingredients we could add ourselves. Those would have included chutney, raisins, more toasted nuts, plain yogurt, some kind of pickle, chopped scallions and hot chilis. It made the meal seem like a celebration of sort and would be appropriate here as well.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

  • 1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 green chili (I used a serrano), roughly chopped (seeded for less heat)
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons of neutral oil
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon of ground coriander (NYT 1 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 tablespoon of ground cumin (NYT 1 1/4 teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon of chile powder – I used ancho (NYT 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 large head cauliflower broken into bite sized pieces
  • 1 (14 ounce) can of unsweetened lite coconut milk (NYT full fat)
  • 4 ounces unsalted cashews, toasted
  • 2 cups of cubed butternut squash, roasted
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala (NYT 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup of pea shoots
  • 1 lemon wedge
Cauliflower Coconut and Cashew Curry

Cauliflower Coconut and Cashew Curry

Method:

  1. Place the ginger, garlic and greet chili in a mini food processor with a pinch of salt. Chop finely until nearly a paste.
  2. In a large skillet with a lid, heat 3 tablespoons of oil on medium heat. Cook the onions until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger, chili and garlic. Cook, stirring until fragrant (maybe 3-4 minutes) being careful to not burn the garlic.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste, coriander, cumin, chile powder and 1-1/4 teaspoons salt. Stir in the cauliflower and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook the cauliflower until it is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
  4. Add the butternut squash, garam masala to the cauliflower mixture and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt if needed.
  5. Top the curry with the cashews, cilantro and a squeeze of elmon before serving.
  6. Serve with steamed rice.
Cauliflower Coconut and Cashew Curry

Cauliflower Coconut and Cashew Curry

March – Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta salad
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March – Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta salad

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

This recipe came from the cookbook vegetarian salad for dinner by Jeanne Kelley. In her recipe she uses whole wheat pasta, which would be a good alternative. I wanted to make the salad gluten free and had brown rice penne in the pantry. Serve this salad at room temperature, it’s vegan, gluten and dairy free as written. For extra protein a bit of crumbled feta ups the flavor but is not necessary.

I often roast cauliflower but forget that broccoli is also delicious roasted, especially when there are some crispy bits. Roasting sweetens the broccoli, combining it with preserved lemons and Calabrian chiles ups the the salty and tangy notes.

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Ingredients: (serves 4)

  • 2 to 2-1/2 pounds of broccoli (about 2 bunches)
  • 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 ounces of dried penne or small macaroni, any kind (about 2 cups)
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely grated on a microplane or crushed through a garlic press
  • 3 tablespoons of chopped preserved lemon (rind only)
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of minced Calabrian chiles
  • Optional: 6 ounces of crumbled fresh feta cheese

Method:

  1. Position your oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
  2. Cover 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
  3. Cut the broccoli into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces. Place the cut broccoli in a large bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Toss with your hands to mix well and coat with oil. Divide the broccoli between the pans. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
  4. Roast until tender browned with some crisp edges. This took about 20 minutes, I switched the locations of the pans after 10. Cool.
  5. Boil the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until tender but firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl (I used the same one that contained the broccoli in step 3).
  6. Immediately add the garlic and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to coat the pasta. Add the broccoli, preserved lemon and lemon juice.
  7. Add the Calabrian chiles gradually until you have the desired heat.
  8. Add the optional feta if using.
Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Serve at room temperature.

February – Sheet Pan Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas
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February – Sheet Pan Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas

Chickpeas (also called garbanzos or ceci beans) have been popular in the Middle East for many years, and are a staple ingredient in many of the region’s most well-known dishes like hummus and falafel. They are an excellent source of carbohydrate, protein, fiber, B vitamins (especially folate), and some minerals.

We frequently enjoy them tossed into a salad, a few cans are always on the pantry shelf. Have you tried them roasted? You can roast them to a crispness that will rival any nut. Simply toss them with olive oil, salt and any combination of spices you fancy. Then roast them in a 350 degree oven until crisp. Served that way they are excellent as a snack before dinner with your 5pm cocktail.

Lately I have been adding them to the sheet pan when I roast vegetables. The ones on the edge end up toasty and crunchy while the ones in the middle are softer and creamy.

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas

This is an excellent side dish or vegetarian main with the addition of rice or flatbread.

I don’t really have a recipe for this, it’s a ‘no recipe’ recipe.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Cut or break a head of cauliflower into pieces about 1-2 inches in size. If the stem is thick, consider peeling it as you would broccoli. Then cut into manageable pieces. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Spread the cauliflower and chickpeas on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. You could add any spices at this time…cumin or baharat or zaatar. Mix it all up and spread everything out evenly. Roast for about 40 minutes until you see the edges turning toasty brown.

Serve with a scattering of chopped scallions, or cilantro, or parsley, or celery leaves, or anything green that is in your fridge or garden. Squeeze some lemon over the top.

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas