Posts Tagged garlic

Fordhook Limas & Kelp Noodle Pesto with Lemon

Jul 21

Posted by admin in basil, fordhook limas, garlic, kelp noodles, lemons, olive oil, pesto, vegan, vegan parmesan, walnuts | 1 Comment

Equipment needed: food processor, knife, cutting board

Time: 30 min

My basil plant is so huge and lush this time of year that I MUST take advantage of it’s odiferous, basily goodness Ok, so I made up the word “basily” but “odiferous” really is a word! You’ve just gotta love words like that…. I have a great view of my basil plants from my side porch where I hang out morning and night, and so I’ve been thinking of ways to incorporate it into dishes. I actually thought of basil ice-cream yesterday, seriously. Apparently it’s not new, I googled it and lots of people have attempted it already. A sweet, basil ice-cream. But, that will wait until another day! Oh…one of my cats, Ava, came inside the other day smelling of basil. I’ve never known her to play in the basil bush, but even she’s into it these days.

Today’s recipe consists of my favorite kelp noodle “pasta”, lightly cooked fordhook lima beans, a mostly raw vegan pesto, and fresh lemon juice. My hands still smell of basil

Fordhook Limas & Kelp Noodle Pesto with Lemon:

1/2 package Sea Tangle kelp noodles
1/4 cup fordhook limas (these are the really big ones and are meatier than the smaller ones)
1 cup of fresh basil
juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts (or pine nuts if you have them)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup vegan parmesan (or regular parm if you prefer, or Bragg’s nutritional yeast to keep it raw)
sea salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg

Soak a 1/2 package of Sea Tangle kelp noodles in water with the juice of half a lemon for about 30 minutes or so. This will soften the noodles and give them a better taste and texture. Boil fordhook limas according to package, if using frozen as I did. Set aside. Combine all other ingredients and process in food processor until nuts are broken down. The pesto should have a texture, not be completely smooth. Drain your noodles in a colander. Take a pair of kitchen scissors and snip them a bit, this will make the strands easier to roll on your fork later. Otherwise, it’s a nice little mess. Toss your noodles with the pesto, add the limas, and chiffonade some extra basil leaves to toss in, maybe an extra touch of olive oil at the end. I squeezed a little extra lemon juice at the end also. I’ve never used lemon in pesto until today, and I really liked it. But, this is optional… you may prefer a traditional pesto. The nutmeg was an after thought, and it turned out well I think. But again, this is a personal preference.

This is a great summer lunch or dinner, enjoy!

-JW

Tags: basil, fordhook limas, garlic, kelp noodles, lemon, pesto, vegan, vegan parmesan, walnuts

Zucchini Fettuccine al Pesto

Jul 4

Posted by admin in basil, fettuccine, garlic, olive oil, pesto, pine nuts, vegan, vegan parmesan, zucchini | No Comments

Equipment needed: vegetable peeler, knife, food processor

Time: 20-30 min

Who doesn’t crave pasta? I certainly do. Classic comfort food, right? But no one wants to wake up in the morning with carb face The solution: raw zucchini “noodles”! Don’t underestimate the simplicity of this dish. This pesto really is delicious. And the noodle texture is surprisingly similar to regular fettuccine noodles.

Zucchini Fettuccine al Pesto:

one medium or two smaller zucchini
1 cup basil leaves
1/8 cup olive oil
1/8 cup pine nuts
1 garlic clove
pinch of sea salt
vegan parmesan cheese

Using a vegetable peeler to slice thin, flat “fettuccine” style noodles from a zucchini is quick and easy. So go ahead and peel your zucchini, preferably an organic one. Then starting at the top, slice all the way down with your peeler…making a long, flat strip. Peel until you come to the core, you’ll start to see the seeds. Stop here. You can use this for something else later, freeze it, or compost it. Put these “noodles” in a bowl and set aside.

Combine the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and vegan parmesan in your food processor and process until the basil is chopped. And your pine nuts and process until smooth. You should still see flecks of the pine nuts in the pesto, so be careful not to process for too long. Toss pesto with your zucchini pasta and serve with chopped tomatoes, fresh basil for garnish, and more vegan parmesan if you like. The pesto will keep in the fridge a few days. I like to toss and let sit or marinate for about 30 minutes before I eat. Enjoy!

-JW

Tags: basil, fettucine, garlic, olive oil, pesto, pine nuts, vegan parmesan, zucchini

Rosemary-Lemon Portobello with Rutabaga-Mac Mash & Pepper Relish

Feb 11

Posted by admin in mushrooms, parsley, peppers, portobello, rutabaga | 5 Comments

Serves 1-2

Equipment needed: Food Processor

This is a fun and simple meal to make for 1 or 2 people. Just double if you are making for a family.

First, I must say that the rutabaga mash is truly delish! The garlic goes well with the earthy, sweet rutabaga root. The tangy sweetness of the pepper relish balances the texture and tastes of the marinated ‘shroom.

Watch for the next blog post, as it will feature a collard greens slaw perfectly suitable as a side for this dish. I had planned to show all of it on one plate, but I’m having such a brainstorm of ideas for it, I’ve decided to show it alone.

Rosemary-Lemon Marinated Portobello:

1 portobello mushroom
the juice of 1 lemon
1 Tablespoon hemp seed oil or olive oil
sea salt & cracked pepper to taste
fresh rosemary, minced (finely)

De-stem the portobello gently, and peel the outer layer off. Removing the outer layer allows for the marinade to soak in. Slice into thin or thick layers, depending on your preference. I prefer thin slices. Finely chop (very finely, as fresh rosemary is potent!) your fresh rosemary, set aside. Mix together lemon juice, oil, salt & pepper, and the chopped rosemary. Soak your mushroom in the mixture, turning so that both sides are well coated, for up to an hour. Fifteen minutes is fine if you are rushed, the taste will be the same. Soaking longer gets the ‘shroom softer, and that’s what I aimed for in this raw dish.

Rutabaga-Macadamia Nut Mash:

1/2 rutabaga
2 Tablespoons raw macadamia nut butter
1 garlic clove
1 Tablespoon hemp seed oil or olive oil
cayenne to taste
sea salt & cracked pepper to taste
small bit of fresh parsley, chopped finely

You’ll need a food processor for the mashed rutabaga, or a high powered blender. The skin of a rutabaga looks intimidating, but it’s easy to deal with. All you need is a vegetable peeler. And a knife. Cut your rutabaga in half, peel it, and chop it into pieces. Process this in your food processor until fine. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Add to the rutabaga and process until well blended and fluffy. You’ve got raw rutabaga-mac mash!

Sweet Pepper Relish:

yellow, orange, and red peppers
bit of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon raw agave (honey or maple syrup is fine here)
1 teaspoon fresh jalapeno
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

De-seed the peppers, chop. Chop parsley. Mix all ingredients together. Now top your mushroom slices! Enjoy!

Watch for my next post…Rainbow Slaw!

-JW

Tags: agave, apple cider vinegar, garlic, lemon, macadamia, mushrooms, nut butter, parsley, portobello, rosemary, rutabaga, sweet peppers

Asian Kelp Noodle Explosion

Feb 4

Posted by admin in almond butter, kelp noodles, tahini | 5 Comments

This is an asian inspired raw pasta made with kelp (seaweed) noodles. Surprise, not all seaweed is green! Kelp noodles are loaded with minerals and vitamins that your body doesn’t always get enough of. And these noodles aren’t full of empty carbs that you’re body can surely do without! They don’t have a strong, off-putting taste like some seaweed. You can find them at Sea Tangle Noodle Company or, like everything else these days, at Amazon.

You’re going to need to plan ahead to allow for soaking time in a bath of water and lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar). These noodles are a little rubbery straight out of the bag. The acid in the lemon or vinegar softens the texture, and the water plumps them up a bit. It also tames the mildly bitter flavor. You won’t regret this first step. Just fill a bowl with some filtered water and add the juice of half a lemon or a tablespoon of the vinegar. I used Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar on these.

While the noodles are soaking, put together this yummy, spicy almond butter-tahini dressing:

2 Tablespoons almond butter (substitute peanut or cashew butter)
1 Tablespoon tahini
1.5 Tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (substitute Tamari, Nama Shoyu, or Soy Sauce)
1.5 Tablespoons raw agave (substitute honey or maple syrup)
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 piece of garlic
1/2 piece of ginger (*see below for how to always have this on hand!)
cayenne to taste
red pepper flakes to taste (I go heavy on these ’cause I like some heat)

*Skip the dried ginger, it has very little taste. Buy a knob of ginger root in the produce section. Use what you need and freeze the rest. When a recipe calls for it, just take it out and cut off a piece, use a knife or vegetable peeler to shave off the woody, outer bark. This is the best way to always have it on hand, and it keeps from wasting a leftover knob.

Since I ran out of almond butter in the jar, I made my almond butter from scratch. There were just enough almonds in my fridge to pull it off. It’s simple, but a bit time consuming. All you need are raw almonds, and a food processor. Oh, and patience!

It will look like this when you first start grinding:

After a while, the almonds will start to stick against the walls of the container. Stop pulsing, and use a spatula or spoon to scrape down the sides. Keep grinding. In 10 – 15 minutes it will look like this:

Keep scraping the sides, and after a little while longer, you will have almond butter that looks like this:

Drain and rinse your kelp noodles, squeeze out the excess water and place in your bowl. Toss with the asian dressing until well coated. If you want, you can add some chopped veggies. Good choices are bok choy, red bell pepper, cilantro, basil, grated carrot, green onion, and sesame seeds. Set aside the combined dish to let the flavors culminate, for about 15 minutes.