Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that some people love and other people don’t get. It’s white. It’s crunchy. It’s innocuous on the taste spectrum. Roasting cauliflower in homemade curry, however, takes it from nothing special to yum-o.
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower, cleaned and cut into florets 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 shallot, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons madras curry powder 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika 1 cup heavy cream 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt the juice of half a lemon cilantro, for garnish
Directions: Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, cook the shallots for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the curry, cumin, and paprika and mix until it resembles a paste. Remove from heat and whisk in heavy cream until spices dissolve. Season with salt.
Add cauliflower and gently toss, coating each floret in curry. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, until toasted and tender. Garnish with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.
Spicy, flavorful, and a delicious break from the status quo, this curried cauliflower is the perfect antidote to a rainy day. Serve it alongside juicy chicken or a delicate white fish. Scrumptious.
Refried beans are something I love. LOVE. They aren’t supposed to be all that good for you because, well, they’re fried. But they’re beans! Beans are superfood superstars. How bad can they be?
These refried beans are fast, easy, and nutritious — no deep frying or excess fat to speak of. Kick the health factor up a notch by soaking and cooking dried beans from scratch (I took the last-minute way out and popped open a can).
In a greased skillet over medium-low heat, combine half an onion (chopped), 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (about 1/4 teaspoon, depending on how spicy you like your beans), and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add 2 cups beans (I used kidney beans; pinto or black or other beans would be fine too) and 1/2 cup vegetable stock, stirring to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes, until beans are heated and flavors have melded.
Remove from heat. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, adding an extra splash of vegetable stock if needed (keeping in mind less is more). Season to taste.
Subtly sweet, spicy, creamy, and deeply satisfying — this is like the whipped version of baked beans. Pair refried beans with rice and salsa, spoon into tortillas, or enjoy them on their own. As Pops says, these beans are tasty bueno!
I should call this refrigerator curry. Essentially the curry version of the refrigerator soups I make so often, this curry was born of produce that screamed “use it or lose it” from the crisper.
First I diced and sautéed half an onion over medium heat in a splash of olive oil. I seasoned the onion with salt, cumin, and some phenomenal homemade garam masala that was a gift from Marlene. I allowed the onions and spices to cook together for a good 5-10 minutes, until the onions were thoroughly browned and fragrant. I then added two large diced tomatoes. Ordinarily one might use canned tomatoes, but why use canned when you have fresh? The onion and tomato mixture cooked for another 5 minutes or so, allowing the favors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
I then added one large chopped zucchini and the bulb part of a butternut squash (leftover from the squash fries), cubed. I added a healthy splash (1/4 cup or so) of vegetable stock and simmered, covered, for 20-25 minutes, until the squash was tender and cooked through.
I topped the curry with a dollop of Greek yogurt and some fresh cilantro. It was out of this world delicious. Aromatic, wholesome, and robust without being heavy, this squash curry was perfect for the wet and chilly spring weather we’ve had lately.
As a vegetarian, you learn to scoff at people who question whether your diet provides sufficient protein. Beans, eggs, dairy, fish (for those of us that are pescatarians), whole grains, tofu — the list goes on and on. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult. I find breakfast the most challenging.
I don’t want to eat eggs more than three times a week, and that includes when I eat eggs for lunch or dinner (which is far more often than I eat them for breakfast). I have a package of Morningstar veggie sausages that I can nuke as I run out the door, but I rather eat those only on an absolutely necessary basis — they’re processed and greasy and salty and can’t be all that great for you.
A piece of fruit is always my go-to choice for “first” breakfast; something to fire up my metabolism and hold me over for an hour or so. Late morning is when I have the real deal, typically around 10:30am. It’s then that I’m really looking for something with protein and fiber and substance. An egg over-easy with crunchy asparagus is a favorite of mine. As are green smoothies. But I tire of smoothies easily, and don’t often want them on consecutive days.
When Greek yogurt entered the mainstream several years ago, it was a game changer. Since then, I’ve found second breakfast to be a cinch (even in an office setting). Packed with tons of protein, I pair a couple heaping spoonfuls of Greek yogurt with a squeeze of honey, a handful of oats, and sliced fruit or berries. A healthy yogurt parfait in a snap.
Today I opted for homemade museli: oats, goji berries, and cacao nibs. Paired with Greek yogurt the museli made a gorgeous, nutritious breakfast. Fresh sliced pineapple rounded out the meal. Delish.
What do you eat for breakfast? Share your (meat-free) protein and fiber fixes!
Risotto is another one of those things that I shied away from because I thought it was too much work. I had this impression that it was finicky and difficult and better left to the professionals. I’ve made it once or twice, but it was years ago in my college dorm kitchen and what I remember most is lots of sweating and swearing over boiling chicken stock and whirring vent fans. Turns out risotto is fairly straightforward and not at all as temperamental as I feared. We made it in class a few weeks back and since then I’ve turned into a risotto fiend.
Bring 4-5 cups vegetable stock to a low boil. Meanwhile, sauté a fistful of asparagus (cut into 1-inch segments) just until the raw edge is cooked off. Asparagus should be bright and crisp. Remove from heat to prevent further cooking.
In a deep sauté pan, cook half an onion (diced) in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, salting to sweat. When soft and translucent, add 1 clove minced garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup pearled barley (or risotto) and a generous pinch of salt, stirring to coat in oil. Pour 1/2 cup dry white wine into the pan, holding off the heat as you do so. Stir until liquid has evaporated. Add vegetable stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until absorbed by the barley. Continue to add stock in 1/2 cup increments until absorbed and barley has visibly plumped, approximately 30-40 minutes. Thoroughly cooked risotto will resist the addition of more stock, and will form a creamy sauce-like consistency.
Once risotto has absorbed all liquid, fold in zest from 1 Meyer lemon (regular lemon would work well too), asparagus, and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes (optional). Season to taste. Cook for 2 minutes more, until flavors meld and asparagus is warmed. Remove from heat and add juice from 1 lemon and a splash of white wine. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and serve immediately.
Bright zesty Meyer lemon and crisp asparagus paired with nutty barley risotto. This dish is the epitome of spring.
STEVE. SERIOUSLY. I DIDN’T USE YOUR TOOTHPASTE, OKAY? I HAVE MY OWN. IN A FLAVOR I ENJOY. I DON’T CARE WHICH WAY YOU SQUEEZE THE TUBE. THE FACT THAT...
