Potato and Roasted Cauliflower Salad

(recipe adapted from Food & Wine magazine)

1 1/2 lb cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
1/8 cup coconut oil
Kosher salt
3/4 lbs. fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
3/4 lbs. baby red potatoes, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (I love grapeseed oil Vegenaise)
1 small shallot, minced
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 cup brined capers, drained, rinsed and finely chopped
1/8 cup finely chopped parsley
Grated horseradish, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400F.  On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with the oil and season with salt.  Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until just tender and lightly browned; let cool.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the fingerlings and red potatoes until just tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain.  Spread the potatoes on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with the vinegar.  Let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, shallots, mustard, capers, and parsley.  Add the cauliflower and potatoes and toss.  Season with salt to taste and garnish with more parsley, if desired.  Serve with horseradish.

Refrigerate; bring to room temperature just before serving.

(I just mixed some horseradish right in when whisking the other sauce ingredients, to taste.  Really delicious potato salad - makes me want to add roasted cauliflower to every potato salad recipe!)

Baked Macaroni & "Cheese"

(recipe from VegNews magazine)

4 quarts water
1 Tbsp. sea salt
8 oz. macaroni
4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces
2 Tbsp. and 1/3 cup margarine (I used coconut oil)
2 Tbsp. shallots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. paprika

In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil.  Add macaroni and cook until al dente.  In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 Tbsp. margarine to a medium-fine texture.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil.  Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.

In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne.  Add softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender and process until perfectly smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated.  Spread mixture into a 9x12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.

(This "cheese" sauce is delicious!  I made this with gluten-free pasta and omitted the breadcrumb topping.  Baking really dried out the dish, so in the future I'd probably just serve after tossing the sauce with the pasta.)

Ginger Coconut Milk Soup

(recipe from 101 Cookbooks)

Two 14-oz. cans full-fat coconut milk
One 14-oz. can water (use the coconut milk can to measure)
2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced
3 large shallots, minced
1 tsp. salt, or to taste

Lots of seasonal vegetables, for example (use a bit of each to fill up the broth):
squash (summer or winter)
broccoli florets
asparagus, chopped
scallions, sliced
mushrooms, sliced

to serve:
lots of fresh lime juice and cilantro


In a large soup pot, over medium heat, bring the coconut milk, water, ginger, shallots, and salt to a gentle boil.  Dial back the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the simmering coconut milk, and cook until tender. 

Can be served alone, or over egg noodles or rice.  Finish with a generous squeeze of lime juice and lots of cilantro.

(This is my new favorite soup!  I've made it a couple of times now, it's so easy and flexible!  Just add any veggies you have on hand to the broth, really.  I add the lime juice and cilantro right into the soup pot at the end.  I've used broccoli, butternut squash, asparagus, mushrooms, and scallions in varying groupings, but I can't imagine many veggies that wouldn't taste fabulous with this savory, tangy coconut broth.)

Silky Squash and Celery Root Soup

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 lbs. Kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 celery root (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 shallots, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (I used dried, doubled)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan.  Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat until golden brown.  Add the squash, celery root, and shallots and cook until lightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes.  Add the vegetable broth, nutmeg, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to moderately low, cover partially, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. 

(Because, for winter in Maine, you can never have too many easy winter squash soup recipes!  A typical blended squash soup, but I liked the addition of celery root for a change.  Creamy and quite hearty.)

Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad

(recipe from 101cookbooks.com)

1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. fine grain salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

more olive oil for cooking (or ghee) - (I used coconut oil)
2 cups sliced carrots, cut 1/4-inch thick on deep bias
3 cups cooked white beans
scant 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp. brown sugar (or honey)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt and shallots in a small bowl.  Stir and set aside.

In your largest skillet over medium-high heat, toss the carrots with a splash of olive oil or a spoonful of ghee.  Let them cook in a single layer - they'll give off a bit of water at first.  Keep cooking, tossing gently every three or four minutes until the carrots are deeply browned.  All told, about twelve minutes.

Add the beans and dill to the skillet and cook for another five minutes, or until the beans are well heated through.  If you are using beans that weren't canned, you can allow them to brown a bit as well (just cook a bit longer, and stir less frequently) - they can handle this in a way that most canned beans can't.  If you need to add a bit more olive oil to the pan, do so.

Place the contents of the skillet in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with the brown sugar and pour the lemon-shallot mixture over the top.  Toss gently.  Let sit for ten minutes.  Toss gently once again, taste and adjust with more salt or sugar or lemon juice if needed to balance the flavors.  Serve warm or at room temperature and finish by sprinkling with the almonds just before serving.

(Comes together easily.  Tangy and hearty.  I enjoyed eating this salad over arugula accompanied with some sliced avocado.)

Delicata Squash with Carmelized Shallots & Sherry

(recipe from Fine Cooking magazine)

1 1/4 lbs. delicata squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
Kosher salt and feshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 to 3 large)
4 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage

Heat the oven to 350F.  Peel the squash, leaving the skin in the crevices (it's tender enough to eat).  Trim the ends.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Slice the halves crosswise 1/2-inch thick.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add half of the squash in a single layer and cook without moving until the slices begin to brown, about 2 minutes.  Flip and cook until the second side begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining squash.  Arrange the squash in a single layer in the dish.  Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of the sherry, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the butter in the skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn deep golden brown on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage and the remaining 2 Tbsp. sherry, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Scatter the shallots over the squash.

Cover the pan with foil and bake until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(I do not peel delicata squash - the skin is tender and edible when cooked.  Also, I skipped the step with browning the squash - I just sliced and layered in the pan raw.  You may want to check on the squash after 20 minutes in the oven, as my squash were very tender after 25 minutes.  The sherry and the sage make this an incredibly tasty dish!  I had some butter to use up in the fridge, but you could use all olive oil and make it vegan.)

Belgian Endive and Apple Salad

(recipe from Cooking Light magazine)

2 Tbsp. minced shallots
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper (this seemed like a lot to me, so I used only 1/8 tsp.)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. walnut oil or olive oil
4 cups julienne-cut Golden Delicious apple (about 2 large)
3 heads Belgian endive, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 4 cups)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Combine first 5 ingredients; add oils, stirring well with a whisk.  Add apple, tossing well; cover and chill.

Combine apple mixture, endive, and parsley in a large bowl; toss well to coat.  Serve immediately.

[Note:  You can make the dressing early in the day and toss the apples with it to keep them from browning.  Wait as long as you can to cut the endive because it discolors where touched with a knife.]

(A simple but delightful salad!  I mixed the dressing and apples and kept them in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week.  Then, when I wanted a salad, I sliced some endive, chopped some parsley, and mixed them with some of the apples and dressing for an individual portion.  Really yummy.  I also added some cubed avocado.  Tangy and tart.)

Butternut Squash with Shallots and Sage

(recipe from Gourmet: Italian Kitchen magazine)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (3/4 cup)
1 (1 3/4 lb.) butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1/2 cup broth or water
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. finely chopped sage
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook shallots and squash, stirring, until shallots are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, brown sugar, sage, and 1/2 tsp. salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

(I overcooked my squash, so it became more of a mash.  Ah, well.  Very yummy, with strong shallot flavor, hint of sweetness, herby sage, and the balsamic pulling it all together.  Flavorful!)