Cashew Lemon Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

This morning the sun was shining so we took a short trip down to the Ambleside farmer's market.  Its a gorgeous setting, right by Ambleside beach, looking out over Vancouver from the North Shore.  As we meandered through the market, I saw some local organic Zucchini Blossoms and thought I would give them a try.  A definite hit, I will be picking some up again next time I see them. 

After the market we had a play on the beach.  Little dude found some burnt charred driftwood and had tons of fun scribbling on the logs while his sister picked up all kinds of interesting rocks and sticks and tried to eat them!  Fun was had by all.

 
Cashew Lemon Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Makes 8 (serves 2 as main, 4 as side/appitizer)

3/4 c raw cashews
2 tbsp water
zest from 1/2 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp miso paste
1/4 tsp salt

8 zucchini blossoms, stamens removed (from inside blossom), rinsed and patted dry

1 c flour
1 bottle beer
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine cashews, water, lemon juice and zest, garlic clove, nutritional yeast, miso paste and salt.  Pulse until well combined and cashews resemble a fine crumb.

Working carefully, stuff each zucchini blossom with a heaping teaspoon of cashew ricotta.  Twist petals to close once stuffed.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, beer, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Mix until well combined.  Dredge each zucchini blossom in batter, being careful not to spill its contents, and place on a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes. Pin It Now!

Recipe: Spelt, Pea + Mint Baked Fritters

This recipe was a complete accident.  I meant to make quinoa fritters. I went to the pantry and grabbed what I thought was the bag of quinoa to start things off, and when I got back to the kitchen I noticed I had grabbed farro (spelt) rather than quinoa.  And then I started thinking: wouldn't the crunchy texture of farro go wonderfully well with sweet flavourful peas and fresh mint?  And this delicious recipe was born.  Thank you universe :)

Spelt, Pea + Mint Fritters
Makes 18 fritters

1 cup uncooked spelt (farro), rinsed
3+ cups water
2 tsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c frozen green peas
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp warm water, let stand 5 min)
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped fine
2 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper


First cook your spelt.  Place spelt and water in a small saucepan and bring to low boil.  Let boil for 20 minutes, until spelt is soft but still has a bit of crunch to it.  Its ok if you overcook it a bit, it will hold better. 

Heat frying pan over medium heat.  Add 2 tsp olive oil and minced onion.  Sautee 3 min or so until onions turn clear.  Add garlic and peas and cook for another 2 min or so, stirring often so as not to burn.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and add flax eggs, bread crumbs, water, mint, miso paste, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Carefully form into golf-ball sized fritters and place on non-stick sprayed baking sheet.  They won't stick together that well, but get them as packed as you can and they will stick together once you refrigerate and bake them.

Once patties are formed, place baking sheets in fridge and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.  Bake patties for 20 minutes.  Once baked, remove from oven and let cool completely before removing, carefully, from baking sheets. 

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Recipe: Miso-Ginger Tofu Salad Rolls

Here is a colourful summer dish that's light and fresh.  The great thing about salad rolls is that they are a nice change from simple salad, and are so versatile: you can add whatever veggies you like.  And here, rather than using a dipping sauce, I add flavour with marinated tofu that packs some punch.  I also generally omit rice noodles from my salad rolls, as the raw, colourful veggies are much healthier and give a nice crunch.

Miso-Ginger Tofu Salad Rolls
Makes 8

For the tofu
2 tbsp soy sauce 
2 tbsp olive oil 
1/8 tsp sesame oil
3 small garlic cloves
2 tsp miso paste
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp agave syrup 
2 tbsp water1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 block extra-firm tofu, sliced into 1/8 inch thick matchsticks

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except tofu.  Process until smooth.  Place tofu in a shallow dish or bowl and pour sauce on top.  Toss to coat.

For the salad rolls
1 recipe Miso Ginger Tofu
1 medium zucchini, spiralized or julienne (or sliced into long strips)
1 small beet, julienne (long strips)
1 c shredded red cabbage
1 c grated carrots
3 green onions, white and light green part, minced
8 rice paper wraps
a large bowl of hot tap water

Place all prepped salad roll ingredients close together.  Working quickly, immerse one rice paper wrap in bowl of hot water.  Hold under water, and when it becomes just soft enough to bend but still feels stiff to the touch remove from water and lay flat on dry cutting board or counter.  Ensure surface you are using is dry.  If your wrap becomes too soft it won't be workable, and this means you have left it in the water too long or your assembling surface is not dry.

Spread small handful of zucchini lengthwise along centre of wrap.  Lay 4-5 slices of tofu on top.  Top with green onion, carrot and beet.  Add shredded cabbage.  Roll as follows: tuck in sides of wrap over fillings.  Fold in half and roll, burrito-style.  Place on large dish.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Transfer to fridge until ready to serve. Pin It Now!

Veggie Burgers 101 and Recipe for Spicy Mexican Veggie Burger (vegan, gluten-free)

I love veggie burgers, and am always trying to create new flavours and textures.  My favourites are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  I have recently discovered that are a few basic steps when inventing a veggie burger: you need to start with a grain (quinoa, rice, bulger, spelt, etc.) and mix in something squishy/pasty (beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes).  You need a binder (egg replacer or flax eggs), and something to absorb the liquid (chickpea flour, breadcrumbs).  Then you can add whatever spices, veggies and sauces you desire.  

Today I felt like something spicy, so I whipped up these Mexican veggie burgers.  They are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and hold together amazingly well.  I served them with Asian Carrot Salad from Brendan Brazier's Thrive Foods cookbook.  Enjoy!

 
 
Spicy Mexican Veggie Burger
Makes 6 burgers

1/2 cup brown rice, cooked + 1/4 cup brown rice (reserved)
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 block extra firm tofu, pressed* and crumbled
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 jalepeno, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c cilantro
1/3-1/2 c chickpea flour
1/4 c enchilada sauce
2 tbsp salsa
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 flax eggs (made by combining 2 tbsp ground flax and 6 tbsp warm water, let stand 5 min)

Buns, hot sauce, sprouts, tomato, avocado, hummus, and other toppings of choice

*to press tofu: rinse and pat dry, wrap in clean kitchen towel and place between dishes.  Put something heavy on the top plate and let stand for 15 minutes.

Add 1/2 c brown rice, beans, tofu, onion, red pepper, jalepeno, garlic and cilantro in food processor.  Pulse until well combined.  Transfer to bowl and add remaining ingredients, including reserved 1/4c rice (which adds texture). 

Mix until well combined.  Form into 6 patties and place on wax paper-lined dish or baking sheet.  Note that the patties will be really soft and sticky.  They will get firmer in the fridge. 

Refrigerate patties for at least 2 hours.   When ready to cook, remove from fridge and cook on indoor electric grill on "high" for 15 minutes.

Sandwich in buns and top with desired fixings.

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Recipe: Moroccan Spiced Chickpeas

It is cold and rainy today, so I wanted to make something warm and hearty for dinner.  I have also been craving chickpeas for the past few days (weird, I know).  So I decided to make chickpeas and season them with ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice mix, and ended up with this flavourful dish.

First, gather your ingredients.  I use canned chickpeas because I never think to pre-soak.  I try to buy canned chickpeas that are BPA-free (I use Eden Organics).  I'm not sure if the hype is warranted, but they are readily available and reasonably priced.  Drain and rinse your chickpeas and let them drip dry in the colander while you prepare your other ingredients.

If you don't have ras el hanout, you can make it as follows:

Ras El Hanout (makes about 1 and a half tablespoons needed for Moroccan Spiced Chickpeas recipe)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch of ground cloves

Mix all the above spices together.

Next, prepare your onions, shallots and garlic.  I used a larger dice on my onions so they remained prominent in the dish, but a smaller mince on the garlic cloves and shallot so they blend better. Peel and dice your sweet potato to about a 1/4 inch dice, or larger if you want chunkier pieces. 

Saute the onions for a 3-4 minutes over medium heat until they start to soften.  Add garlic and shallots and saute for another minute.  Add spices and cook for another couple minutes.  Spices will become fragrant.

Quarter your tomatoes and put in food processor with tomato paste and 1/4c of vegetable broth.  Blend until smooth, approx 1 minute.

Add tomato puree to the onions, garlic and shallots and turn the heat up to high.  Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to a simmer.  Add peeled and diced sweet potatoes.

Add drained chickpeas, stir well.

Bring to a simmer.  Cook covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom.  Uncover after 20 minutes and cook uncovered for 5 minutes to boil off some of the excess liquid.  Add the chopped cilantro and stir well. 

Garnish with sprigs of cilantro.  This dish would go nicely with some type of naan or other flat bread, and even with a dollop of greek yogurt (if you aren't vegan).

Moroccan Spiced Chickpeas
Makes 4 servings

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 c onion, diced
1 shallot, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4c sweet potato, diced
1 1/2 tbsp Ras El Hanout (Moroccan spice mix - recipe below)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
3 tsp turmeric
2 tomatoes, quartered
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/4 c low sodium vegetable stock
1/4c chopped cilantro, more for garnish

Saute onion for 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic and shallot and saute for another minute or so.  Add spices (Ras El Hanout, cumin, paprika, and turmeric) and saute for another 2 minutes.
Puree tomatoes and tomato paste with 1/4 cup of the vegetable sauce.  Add to the onion mixture along with the remaining 1 cup of vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, turn down to simmer and add sweet potato and chickpeas.  Again bring to a simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes until chickpeas and sweet potatoes are softened, stirring occasionally.  Uncover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.  Add cilantro and stir well.  Serve in bowls and garnish with cilantro sprigs.


Ras El Hanout
Makes about 1 and a half tablespoons

1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch of ground cloves

Mix all the above spices together.

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