I Love You More Than Food

Category: vegetarian

Recipes in the Vegetarian category are either already vegetarian or can be made so very easily.

  • Orange & Garlic Rainbow Chard

    Orange & Garlic Rainbow Chard

    For some time, I’ve been considering a home produce delivery, as the Bay Area has a large selection of vendors for this purpose–from private farms to co-op vendors who source several farms and deliver, there’s a wealth of good, organic produce in these parts. I had put off starting the shipments because I was torn between several vendors, but as an impulse buy a few days ago I signed up with Farm Fresh To You. (Ok, so really, I haddn’t been thinking about the produce deliveries since October and I was reading an article in the Chronicle about Tyler Florence in which he mentions HIS delivery of Farm Fresh To You…) Today, I received my first shipment.

    I was pleased. The box sat in the shade on our stoop and I grabbed it on my way in the door, eager to dig in and see what goodies I had from the sesasonal selection. Almost everything in my box bore the Capay farms seal even though I’d opted to receive mixed produce, not only from their own farm. I received many beautiful things–including the largest and most symmetrical butternut squash that has quite possibly ever existed–but will today talk about the beautiful rainbow chard. I’ve never cooked rainbow chard.

    1 bundle rainbow chard
    1/4 yellow onion
    4 garlic cloves
    zest of 1 orange
    olive oil
    salt & pepper

    Wash your chard and seperate the leaves from the stalks. Remove the very bottom part of the stalks if they’re especially brittle or large, then chop the stalks in 1/2-1 inch peices (smaller at the thick end larger at the thin.)

    Heat a skillet or large pan to high heat and add some olive oil–don’t reach the smoking point.

    Chop your onion finely and add it to the hot oil. Chop your garlic and add it a little later, reducing the heat to medium. Add salt & pepper. Once the onions are colored and translucent or soft but not shriveled (that’s too much), add your chard stalks. Let them soften for 10-15 minutes on medium heat, tossing occasionally. Add the zest of 1/2 the orange. Once softened, chop your chard leaves in 1 1/2-2 inch ribbons and add them to the pan, reducing the heat to medium low. Add the rest of the orange zest.

    Let the mixture soften and reduce and once the leaves are fully cooked but not BROWN, you’re done! Serve it up. I served it with quinoa, which you can find instructions for on this site.

    Wine: You can pair this with a meaty or smoky red, perhaps a Spanish one.

  • Persimmon & Soy Nut Salad

    Persimmon & Soy Nut Salad

    I’ve been making a lot of salads lately in an attempt to incorporate both more greens and more fiber into my evening diet. One way that I trick myself into eating an item I’m generally not too crazy about is by adding what should have been really obvious: fried potatoes. This has been the basis of many a salad lately, often incorporating minced red bell pepper, Brianna’s cheddar-chipotle dressing (the ONLY dressing I have ever used and been satisfied with or tolerant of), hangar steak, etc.

    I prefer to use pre-washed, organic mixed greens because they’re not only versatile but the cost is completely worth the work that’s already been done, and I find in general they’re better or equal quality to what I can find pre-mixed in bulk, and last longer in the right quantities than what I can cut & mix on my own.

    1 large pack “organic girl” pre washed mixed greens
    3 T olive oil
    1 T good balsamic vinegar (I like Bariani, for those of us in central & northern California)
    salt & pepper
    1 medium red potato, peeled & cubed
    1 T butter
    4-6 T soy nuts
    1/4 C raw pistachios
    1 slice dried pineapple, diced small
    1/2 ripe fuyu persimmon, diced

    In a saute pan on high heat, melt the butter. Add the cut potato, topping with plenty of salt & pepper. Toss, and let cook. Toss occasionally, once colored, reduce heat to medium low to cook through.

    Meanwhile, Whisk together briskly the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Mix the greens to evenly coat, and add the soy nuts, pistachios, pineapple, and persimmon. Toss. If possible, let the potatoes cool a bit, and then toss them in as well. Serve immediately.

    Wine: A light sauvingnon blanc from just about anywhere would be nice with this. A Chilean Chardonnay would also work.

  • Roasted Vegetable Crostini & Coconut-Macadamia Green Beans

    Roasted Vegetable Crostini & Coconut-Macadamia Green Beans

    Roast Vegetable Ragout
    2 large heirloom tomatoes, preferably green/purple variety or other rich color
    2 large carrots, peeled & trimmed
    1/2 medium onion
    6+ garlic cloves, peeled & trimmed
    1/2 red bell pepper

    Cut all vegetables into chunks; carrots diagonally. Put into baking dish, toss with 1/4-1/3 C olive oil, pleanty of sea salt & cracked pepper. Cook for 45-90min until soft and rich in color. Add 2/3rds mixture to food processor or blender, pulse until coarsely incorporated. Mix with left over whole vegetables. Reserve to place on bread, eat with roast meat, etc.

    Alternatively, roast these vegetables with a london broil steak or other cut to roast; the juice from the meat will enrich the flavor, or add your own beef stock (1/3 cup) before roasting.

    Place on toasted baguette that has been rubbed with a fresh, uncooked garlic clove.

    Coconut Macadamia Green Beans
    3 spring carrots (small with tops on) trimmed, peeled
    1 lb green beans, trimmed
    1/4 cup halved macadamia nuts (roasted & salted)
    1/2 medium size hot pepper, small diced
    2 cloves garlic
    1 handful fresh pea shoots, washed & drained
    3 T unrefined raw coconut oil (looks for lack of better description like large chunks of crack cocaine, with lots of actual coconut pulp left in it)

    Cut green beans into 1-inch segments, cut carrots into 1/8th inch thick segments (or thinner). Mince garlic. Smash macadamia nuts unevenly to have mostly small pieces and some larger ones.

    Heat non stick pan to medium heat, fully. Add coconut oil, let melt a little. It will retain some uneven chunks of coconut, don’t worry about this. Just make sure the heat is not so high it wil burn the coconut, though browning is OK. Add the carrot, hot fresh pepper, and garlic, cook 1-2 minutes until slightly softened/brightened color. Add cracked pepper, and a small amount of salt.  Next add the green beans. Reduce heat after 2-3 minutes to medium low. Let cook until beans slightly softened and much brighter in color. Add macadamia nuts, cook several more minutes, tossing as you go. Add the pea shoots at the end, raw on top.

  • Hazelnut Crepes with Leek-New Potato filling, Arugula, and Creme Fraiche

    Hazelnut Crepes with Leek-New Potato filling, Arugula, and Creme Fraiche

    Hazelnut Crepes with Leek & New Potato Filling, Arugula, & Creme Fraiche

    Crepe Batter:
    1/2 C Hazelnut “flour” (finely ground hazelnuts)
    1/2 C -2T all-purpose unbleached flour
    3 eggs
    2T melted butter
    1 1/3 C whole milk
    dash salt
    dash fresh grated nutmeg

    Mix dry; Mix wet, add into a “well” of the dry and whisk together to avoid lumps, slowly incorporating the dry. The batter should be the consistency of light cream.

    2 large fresh leeks, greens removed
    4 small to medium white new potatoes
    2-3 T butter
    salt & pepper
    5-8 stalks fresh wild arugula

    Split leeks in half and chop finely in half circles. Dice finely the new potatoes to the size just slightly bigger than the eraser on a pencil. Melt the butter in a non stick pan at medium high heat (you could also use pancetta and half as much butter). When the water has evaporated (it stops bubbling), add the potatoes, with plenty of salt & pepper. Let them color, tossing occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, add leeks. Let leeks soften and color while potatoes also finish cooking.

    Use a non-stick skillet and cook the crepes at medium high heat. Coat the pan in butter first, let the water evaporate and add batter. Don’t add too much batter or the crepes will be too thick; they should barely coat the pan. Flip when mostly done, cooking briefly on the other side.

    Assemble, adding fresh washed arugula. Top with creme fraiche or sour creme and a few whole hazelnuts.

    Wine: To cut the fat, try a vinho verde from Portugal, or a non-oakey chardonnay like one from Cakebread Cellars.

  • Swiss Chard Spring Rolls with Cashew Cayenne Dipping Sauce

    Swiss Chard Spring Rolls with Cashew Cayenne Dipping Sauce

    One bunch swiss chard
    1 zucchini
    1 carrot
    1 cucumber
    2 green onion
    1 red beet
    2 limes
    good olive oil
    sesame seeds
    cayenne
    salt & pepper

    Wash all vegetables. Toast the sesame seeds and place in grinder. Alternatively, run roughly through mortar & pestal. Reserve.

    Julienne zucchini, carrot, cucumber, red beet. Slice thinly the green onion. Whisk juice of two limes with several T olive oil (1/2 or less amount of lime juice). Whisk in salt & pepper, ground sesames, 1/2 tsp to 1 T cayenne depending on desire for spiciness.

    Marinate for 30 min-3 hr the julienned vegetables in the lime juice mixture.

    Once marinated, place even amounts of vegetables into chard leaves and roll into “spring rolls”. Alternatively julienne chard (you can sub kale if you want) and wrap all into rice paper wrappers like Thai/Vietnamese spring rolls.

    Make dipping sauce:
    1 cup cashews
    1/4 C almond milk (or water)
    2 tsp cayenne
    1/2 tsp salt

    Mix all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Serve with veggie rolls.

  • Garlic Green Beans

    Garlic Green Beans

    Fresh green beans or blue lake green beans (haricot-vert)
    Lots of fresh, firm garlic, peeled & minced
    Great olive oil
    1-2 T butter
    salt & pepper

    Wash & trim the green beans. Cut into smaller, uniform pieces.

    Bring a skillet to medium high heat. Add butter. Once melted and water cooks out, but before browning, add minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium low.

    Once garlic is softened but not dark, turn heat back to medium or medium high, add green beans and a touch of olive oil to wet the pan enough. Add salt & pepper. Cook at this heat until bright green, then reduce heat to medium low until beans are softer but still crisp. Turn heat off, top with more excellent, fruity/light olive oil, and serve.

  • Cauliflower Gazpacho with Peach & Pear

    Cauliflower Gazpacho with Peach & Pear

    1 head cauliflower, cleaned and coursely chopped
    1 carrot, clean and chopped
    1 bosc pear
    1 ripe yellow peach
    1.5 C water/vegetable stock
    1 small heirloom tomato
    1/4 C olive oil
    salt & pepper

    Combine all ingredients in a food processor–it’s best to add a bit at a time in proportion to the liquids for the smoothest consistency. At the end you should have a thick sauce like consistency. If not, add water or more ingredients. Everything is raw.

    Transfer to a saucepan and cook on medium low for 30 minutes. Alternatively, blanch the cauliflower and carrot before chopping or pureeing. It will be a smoother consistency this way, but I enjoy the texture of not cooking it first.

    Be sure not to over salt, or it will taste strange with the fruit’s sweetness.

    Serve warm with olive oil and slices of heirloom tomato, or cold with tropical fruit or tomato.

    This can also be used in place of polenta or mashed potatoes, and I intend to use it with grilled halibut and mango or papaya & avocado salsa tomorrow evening.

  • Sauteed Ginger Carrots with Sesame

    Sauteed Ginger Carrots with Sesame

    3 large carrots, cleaned and peeled
    2 inch peice of hawaiian young ginger (or less of other, stronger ginger)
    toasted sesame & sea salt mixture in a sesame grinder (gomasio)
    olive oil
    salt & pepper

    Cut the carrots on the diagonal, grate the ginger over them as they are finishing cooking (tender but still crisp) in the olive oil, put salt & pepper on them at the beginning of cooking, and serve topped with gomasio.

  • Incorporating Raw Food: Quinoa Bowl with Hazelnut oil & Summer Vegetables

    Incorporating Raw Food: Quinoa Bowl with Hazelnut oil & Summer Vegetables

    I’m single-handedly battling my own metabolic syndrome by getting off of corrective pills and embracing a healthier, vegetable rich, flour & sugar low diet. I’ve found an easy way to incorporate more vegetables is to start adapting raw recipes and ideas into my diet. It really is like power food, though sometimes hard to digest depending on what you make.

    Surprisingly, it’s very filling and I was only able to eat half of the below portion in one sitting:

    For One:
    1/2 C quinoa
    1/2 avocado
    raw cashews
    bell pepper (orange or red)
    broccoli
    sprouted beans
    arugula, chopped
    1 snack box raisins
    cayenne pepper
    hazelnut oil
    salt & pepper

    Cook the quinoa (1 – 2, bring to boil while combined, cover and reduce to low for 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed; quinoa is the quickest cooking whole grain & is also high in protein.), meanwhile chop vegetables into diced size after washing and toss in hazelnut oil, salt, pepper. When quinoa is finished cooking, add raisins, salt and cayenne pepper. Lightly mix all the ingredients and serve with sea-salted avocado in top.

  • Heirloom Tomato Salad & Summer Minestrone Soup

    Heirloom Tomato Salad & Summer Minestrone Soup

    Heirloom Tomato Salad

    There is an amazing market down the street from where I’m living in San Francisco these days. Their produce can be viewed as “on its way out” or “perfectly prime.” I choose to focus on the latter and take advantage of rock bottom prices–a few days ago I found organic raspberries for $1.59, and they were gorgeous, tasty, and not freakishly large. They regularly have zucchini at such a low price that for one, I end up paying about 13 cents. They have whole packs of baby spinach twice the size of the ones at the regular grocery for $1.25. I am obsessed with the possibilities.

    Lately, they have had beautiful, beautiful heirloom tomatoes. I picked the best of them and made a simple salad, even slices of the different colors with Himalayan pink salt (flaked variety), fresh cracked pepper, good olive oil, a dash of good balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil julienned on top.

    Summer Minestrone Soup

    Then, I realized I had a tupperware full of  home made chicken stock left from the last time I made chicken & dumplings. I threw it in a big pot to melt, added some rinsed white beans from a can (it was last minute, or I’d have soaked dry ones), and started chopping into equal, small pieces a carrot, small zucchini, round yellow squash, half a Vidalia onion straight from Vidalia, Georgia (my grandma sends us these every year), some gorgeous green beans, and finally, removed the kernals from a fresh stock of white corn. If I recall, I also chopped up the remaining bits of tomatoes from the heirloom salad into small pieces and added them as well. I threw it all in some toasty olive oil and sauteed it with salt and pepper until it was soft but not squishy.  I reserved it to add to the soup when it was fully heated with the beans.

    Mixed Summer Vegetables for Minestrone

    What really made the soup delicious and different, though, aside from having such cheap, tasty, gorgeous produce from my neighborhood corner store, was that I took a hint from San Luis Obispo’s Buona Tavola Ristorante that I’ve known of for years: add a lump of pesto to the center of the bowl.

    I make a batch of pesto just about every week these days (the BF likes to eat it for lunch when I’m at work), and this time I had some that contained basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh garlic, and almonds. It was perfect and brought the whole soup together into tasty, tasty deliciousness.