Vegetables

Miso sesame glazed eggplant

This Japanese eggplant recipe is all about that miso sesame glaze. The glaze is good on all varieties of eggplant (carrots, and Japanese sweet potato too). This recipe is incredibly easy to make and as promised on Instagram, I’m sharing it here.

Here is how it goes. I roast the eggplant first, then coat it with the glaze and run it under the broiler. The trick is getting the timing right so the glaze caramelizes but doesn’t burn. Most recipes called for eggplant halves. I like mine in cubes, so the glaze gets everywhere. Either way this dish is totally dealicious: a.k.a. easy to make and affordable.

Categories

Roasted Brussels sprouts recipe

This is how you clean up Brussels sprouts bad reputation. Roast them with some sage infused brown butter, add chopped hazelnuts, finish with a drizzle of honey. There you have it! Crunchy, nutty, salty and sweet, full of texture and flavor!

Start by browning the butter. Melt it slowly over medium heat swirling occasionally to brown it evenly. When the butter starts to foam and turn tan throw the sage in. Let butter turn brown lightly and remove.

Dress the sprouts with the brown butter, salt, pepper, and chopped hazelnuts and they are ready to roast.

Roast at 400F for 15 minutes. Toss them around halfway. Place it on a serving plate. Drizzle with honey. Heaven!

Categories

Roasted Curried Cauliflower Steaks

Roasted Curried Cauliflower Steaks

Although there’s no better way to eat cauliflower than deep-fried or swimming in a creamy cheese sauce, this roasted cauliflower recipe is pretty satisfying and ‘dealicious’ (yup, this unpopular veggie is usually affordable and I’m totally surprised that it didn’t make the Gwyneth’s SNAP challenge list.)

This recipe is more of a ‘way to prepare’ than an exact recipe. If you like heat, I recommend using a hot curry powder like Madras. Try it with a splash of lime juice. The citrus highlights all the flavors and adds the perfect zing!

Start by preheating the oven at 400F. Wash the cauliflower and remove some or all of the leaves. Slice the cauliflower into 1/2 inch thick slices. And yes, you’re seeing right, I didn’t core the cauliflower and you don’t have to do it either. The core holds the florets together and tastes as good as the rest of the cauliflower to me.

Cauliflower Steaks

In a small bowl, mix the curry powder, turmeric, cardamom and salt.

Cauliflower Steaks

Place the cauliflower steaks on a non-stick baking sheet (or a baking sheet lined with foil.) Coat the steaks with refined coconut oil (it can be substituted with olive oil or any oil of your choice) on both sides. Sprinkle the spice mix on both sides.

Cauliflower Steaks

Roast it 15-20 minutes each side. I broiled each side an additional 2 minutes just to give the florets a bit of a sexy tan. This step is totally optional.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower Steaks

Dominique Fry
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 large head cauliflower

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°. Wash the cauliflower and shake it dry.
  • Cut the cauliflower in long slices, about 1/2 inch thick.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the spices.
  • Spread steaks in a single layer in a large non stick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with foil.
  • Coat the cauliflower steaks with the coconut oil on both sides and sprinkle the spice mix generously also on both sides.
  • Bake until cauliflower 20 to 30 minutes. Stir after 15 minutes, flipping the slices over.

Notes

Served with a splash of lime.

 

 

Yesterday’s dessert, Today’s dinner, Tomorrow’s lunch

The kids loved this cute treat for dessert last night

Julia Child’s Spice mix it’s AWESOME! A really great rub for chicken breast. The kitchen still smells like Julia. The Lundberg butternut squash risotto (I added some dry cranberries to it) was the perfect pairing with the spiced grilled chicken.

I bought way too many heirloom tomatoes (seriously, organic for $1.99 lb???? That’s a deal) and decided to try this almost gluten free tart.  I started mixing almond meal, 1 egg, olive oil, salt, dry herbs and whole wheat flour. Pressed it on a tart pan. Baked until brown. Sliced tomatoes on top, minced garlic, mozzarella and parmesan cheese and dry basil. Baked for another 12 minutes and here is a surprisingly filling and healthy lunch for tomorrow.

Meatless Monday=Lentils and Collard Greens

Today’s dinner is simple and so yummy. Rice, lentils and collard greens. I cooked the lentils and greens yesterday so all we need to make tonight is the rice. Compared to other types of dried beans, lentils are quick and easy to prepare. They’re high in nutritional value and are available throughout the year. The kids LOVE lentils and it’s one of my favorite dishes for “Meatless Monday”.

If you’re not familiar with Meatless Monday yet check their site http://www.meatlessmonday.com. MM is a non-profit initiative which main goal is to help reduce meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of the planet. Going meatless once a week may reduce risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel. Not a bad movement to be part of!

For this Lentil batch I used:

1 16 ounce bag of Arrowhead green lentils (Beluga lentils are a good option too)

1 small onion diced

2 garlic cloves minced/crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp turmeric

1tbsp celery seeds

2 bay leaves (dry)

1 tbsp blackstrap molasses

3-5 cups of vegetable broth (or water if you don’t have broth available. I used )

Wash lentils on a colander and reserve (no need to presoak). Saute onions and garlic with olive oil. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth (I used Pacific Org. Vegetable broth), dry ingredients and lentils. Let come to a boil and cook it in high heat for 10 minutes. Lower heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes adding more broth/water if necessary. The slower you cook the better they will taste. We love eating them on top of rice with collard greens and “farinha de mandioca torrada” (Brazilian toasted manioc flour available at El Gaucho Market, Rosecrans and Inglewood).

For the Collard Greens:

1 bunch of organic collard greens wahed (avoid the conventional kind. Way too much pesticides residue)

1 clove garlic minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

olive oil

Coat a fry pan with olive oil (approximately 1 tbsp). Brown the garlic. Add the green cut in thin slices (the best way to cut them is to stack several leaves on top of each other and roll together. Then using a cutting board and sharp knife, slice the leaves into 1/2 inch thick pieces). Cook it until tender.

Week 1: Monday

Keeping it very simple this Meatless Monday and hoping for left overs for tomorrow. I decided not to put the kids through the pain of hot spicy vegetables so I made something mild for them (pasta with broccoli and blended veggie soup).

QUICK VEGETABLES CURRY

2 eggplants  and 2 potatoes pealed and cut in 1 inch cubes

1 medium onion diced

1 tbsp Turmeric

1 cup of chicken stock/broth

1 tbsp salt

1 jar of Bombay Kadai sauce (or ready to use Indian sauce of your choice)

1 tbsp canola oil

On a deep pan, heat oil. Sauté onions until brown. Add eggplant, potatoes, salt, Turmeric and chicken broth. Cook until eggplant is soft. Add sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over Basmati rice.