Carrot shlada

(recipe from The Africa Cookbook, by Jessica Harris, via Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine)

1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley (I used cilantro)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook carrots with garlic in about 1 cup of boiling water, covered, until slightly tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain carrots and place in a nonreactive bowl.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, pour over the salad, toss.  Let stand for about half an hour.

(A nice salad, can be served warmed or cool.  Tangy and bright.)

Mango and Avocado Salad with Black Beans and Lime Vinaigrette

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 firm-ripe avocados, halved, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tbsp. lime juice, divided
1 firm-ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
Salt and pepper
1 Tsp. grated lime zest
1/4 tsp. sugar (I used honey)
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, more for garnish
4 Tbsp. olive oil (I used 2 Tbsp.)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Gently toss avocado with a Tbsp. of lime juice in a medium bowl; add mango, jalapeno, and salt and toss to combine.

To make the lime vinaigrette, whisk together the remaining lime juice, zest, sugar, and cilantro in a small bowl.  Whisk in the oil until thoroughly combined.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss the black beans with the vinaigrette.

To assemble the salad, spoon the black bean mixture onto the middle of a small platter.  Arrange the chopped mango and avocado around the black beans.  Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

(I just mixed everything together, and it was a fresh and vibrant and delicious salad.  It kept in the refrigerator for a few days, too.)

Broccoli Salad

(not sure where this recipe came from...)

3 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (or both)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup raw pecans (optional)

Dressing:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a couple of hours in water
3 Tbsp. raw honey
2 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup onion
Salt to taste
1/4 cup water

Add first set of ingredients to a large bowl.  Blend dressing ingredients until smooth.  Pour over other ingredients and mix well.  (You could also add purple cabbage, yellow peppers, just to make it more colorful.)

(This dressing is so tangy and delicious!  And healthy.  It would probably be awesome in cole slaw.)

Acorn Squash-Ginger Bisque

(recipe from an unknown magazine clipping)

2 medium acorn squash (about 1 1/2 lbs. each)
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 1/4 cups red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened orange juice
2 tsp. ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Slice each squash in half lengthwise, and place cut side down on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

Let cool, and remove seeds and membrane.  Scoop out pulp and set aside; discard remains.

In a large saucepan, bring sherry to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic; cook for 3 minutes and stir frequently.  Add bell peppers; continue to stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Add reserved squash pulp, broth, and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour squash mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

Serves 7.

(A thick and delicious soup.  I also blended some canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce into some of the servings, with nice results.  If you remove the seeds from the squash before baking, you can bake them separately for a snack!)

Big Comfy Sweet Potatoes

(recipe from mynewroots.org)

4 medium-large sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups black beans (1 can)
1 ripe avocado
Red Blanket Sauce (recipe follows)

Optional toppings:
cilantro
green onion
sprouts
lime wedges
crumbled goat's cheese
crushed chili flakes

Preheat oven to 400F.  Prick sweet potatoes a few times with a fork.  Place on a baking sheet in the oven and roast for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the potato.  You will know it's done when a knife can easily pierce the skin and the center is soft.

Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and slice each one down the center, almost through to the bottom.  Open up to reveal its orange flesh.

Stuff the sweet potato with black beans and top it with avocado and any other herbs, sprouts, or veggies you like.  Pour Red Blanket Sauce over the top. Serve and enjoy.


Red Blanket Sauce

knob of coconut oil or ghee (I used olive oil)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can whole, organic tomatoes
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle (I used 1/2 a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
pinch of cayenne, if desired
1 - 3 dates
2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
1 Tbsp. nut butter or tahini
4 Tbsp. water, divided
1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt oil and add all spices.  Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about a minute.  Add onions, a couple pinches of salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another couple minutes.  If the pot gets dry at any point, add a little of the tomato juice from the can.

Pour canned tomatoes into the pot and cook for 5 minutes.  Season to taste.

Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a blender.  Add pitted dates, cacao powder, nut butter, lime juice, and a couple tablespoons of the water.  Blend on high, adding water to thin as needed, until desired consistency is reached.  Season to taste.

Serve.  Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week.

(Delicious!  The sauce is amazing!  I added some sauteed kale to mine.  Just delightful.)

Butternut Squash Soup with Miso and Coconut

(recipe from Food52.com)

Olive oil
4 1/2 cups water
4 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. white miso
1 large yellow onion, diced
1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
2 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or slightly more to taste
One 3-lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

First, make your miso stock.  Put 4 cups of water into a saucepan and heat to a simmer.  Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of water together with the miso, and pour that into the saucepan.  Bring to a simmer, but don't let it boil.

Pour a few Tbsp. of olive oil into the bottom of a large, heavy pot.  When it's hot, add the onion and sweat it until it's translucent.  Stir in the ginger, cumin, and cayenne, and toast spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Deglaze with a ladle-full of your miso stock.

Add the cubed butternut squash and the salt, mixing everything to combine, and then pour in the rest of the miso stock.  Simmer until the squash is completely tender, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and puree the soup in a food processor or blender, being careful of the hot liquid.  At this point, you can strain for a super-smooth soup, or you can leave it how it is - up to you!

Return the pureed soup back to the pot, and stir in the coconut milk.  Taste, adjust for seasoning and spice.  Serve warm.

(I found it easiest to heat all of the water, then take out a half cup and dissolve the miso in the warm water.  This soup is spicy with the amount of cayenne called for, so you may want to start with less and work up by taste.  A spicy, creamy, flavorful soup!  I had some of the chutney left over from the previously-posted cod recipe, and found it was a delicious addition when stirred into this soup.)

Steamed Cod with Coconut Chutney

(recipe clipped from a newspaper, not sure which one)

6 garlic cloves, peeled
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 small fresh chilies, stemmed and seeded or 1 tsp. red chili flakes or to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup shredded dried coconut
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. oil
salt
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. cod fillet

Prepare a steamer with at least 2 inches of water.

Put the garlic, ginger and chilies in a food processor and grind to a paste.  Add the cilantro, mint and coconut.  Press Pulse a few times until mixture is chopped but not pureed.  Stir in the lime juice, oil and salt.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Season fish with salt; put it on a plate or in a shallow bowl on steamer rack.  Top with herb paste.  Cover and steam until fish is done, about 15 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife meets little or no resistance.  Serve at once.

(A nice take on cod preparation.  The chutney seems weird and unnecessary, but really adds a unique flavor.  The steaming keeps the fish nice and moist.)