Bulgur salad with pecans, orange, and mint

Recipe

Place 1 cup bulgur in a medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Soak for at least 30 minutes, while you chop the vegetables and prepare the dressing. (Alternatively, boil 1 cup water, add 1/2 cup bulgur, remove from heat and let sit about 20 minutes.)

In a large bowl, combine:

3 leaves lacinto kale, washed, greens removed from the center stem, and finely chopped

1/3 cup mint leaves, washed and finely chopped

2 carrots, washed and grated

rind of one organic orange, washed and grated

2.25 ounce package (1/2 cup?) pecans and/or walnuts, finely chopped

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients:

juice of one orange

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

Once the bulgur has soaked, drain and add to the large bowl of chopped vegetables. Pour dressing over the bulgur and toss to combine. Refrigerate about one hour before serving.

No-Cook Black Bean Pilaf

Did you know that you can soak bulgur, rather than cooking it? Plus, it's a whole grain. With the recent heat wave in Denver, bulgur has become a favorite (along with chilled watermelon and ice cream).

Recipe

Place 1/2 cup bulgur in a medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Soak for at least 30 minutes, while you chop the vegetables and prepare the dressing. (Alternatively, boil 1 cup water, add 1/2 cup bulgur, remove from heat and let sit about 20 minutes.)

In a large bowl, combine:

1/2 pint mini-peppers (or 1 large pepper), washed and chopped

2 roma tomatoes, washed, seeded, and chopped

1/2 a small red onion (washed), thinly sliced

1 bunch cilantro, washed and finely chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 and 1/2 cups cooked black beans)

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients:

1 small jalepeno pepper, washed and finely minced (seed first if you prefer less kick)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon salt

Once the bulgur has soaked, drain and add to the large bowl of chopped vegetables. Pour dressing over the bulgur and toss to combine. Refrigerate about one hour before serving.

Whole Wheat Pasta With Chickpeas and Curry

An interesting variation on pasta with chickpeas, with curry spices and chopped cilantro.

Adapted from Every Day with Rachel Ray (thanks, Karen!).

Ingredients

13 ounces whole wheat pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, washed and chopped

1 fresno chili pepper, washed, seeded, and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable broth

24-ounce bottle strained tomatoes

2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained)

cilantro for garnish

Prepare pasta per package instructions. Drain and set aside when done.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and cumin seeds in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the onion, chili pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft.

Add the curry powder, tumeric, and salt and stir until the spices are heated.

Pour the stock into the pan and stir until blended with the onion mixture.

Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir until blended.

Top with chopped cilantro.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Adapted from my favorite blueberry muffin recipe. Chopped pecans are a good add-in, if you have them.

Original blueberry muffin recipe at Simply Recipes.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole grain spelt flour (substitute 1 additional cup all-purpose flour if you don't have spelt)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup sugar, divided

2 eggs

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 and 1/2 cups plain yogurt (2 6-ounce containers)

1 cup cranberries, picked over, washed, and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place muffin cups in muffin tin(s) (I usually get about 20 muffins).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend the butter and all but one tablespoon of the sugar. Stir in the eggs and grated orange peel.

In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with the remaining one tablespoon of sugar. Set aside.

Carefully stir in 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the large bowl. Then, stir in 1/3 of the yogurt. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients, followed by the remaining yogurt. Add the cranberries, stirring until just blended.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until golden brown (about 25 t0 30 minutes). Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to be sure the center of the muffins are done (the toothpick should come out clean). Set on a wire rack to cool.

Cheese Importer (Longmont)

I've been meaning to go to the Cheese Importer for a while now, but I never seemed to be in the area. Or, more accurately, I'd be near Longmont but zipping past it, on my way to a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park or a visit with family in Ft. Collins. Even growing up, I only stopped in Longmont if I hit a red light while driving between Ft. Collins and Boulder.

But, after a friend raved about the store's cheese selection, I decided that I needed to check it out. And so, rather than driving by, through, or around Longmont, I made my first ever trip to the town, and to the Cheese Importer.

And, it was worth it. Inside an industrial-looking building on a Longmont parkway is a trove of imported foods and kitchenware. Towards the back of the store is a large refrigerated room full of cheese. And cheese samples.

Cheese Importer carries a number of imported cheeses (organized by country of origin), as well as local varieties such as Haystack. This trip, I sampled bits of cheese with made with port and cheese dotted with with cranberries. After some deliberation, I bought a beautiful chunk of creamy mango-ginger stilton (pictured above, about $9 for 8 ounces) -- basically, like a fantastic mango-ginger-laced cheesecake. I also bought some gruyere (same price range) and a block of rBGH-free cheddar cheese ($3.99 for 8 ounces), which will make their way into beer cheese soup this weekend.

Cheese Importer
33 South Pratt Parkway (just north of the intersection of Ken Pratt Blvd and Pratt Parkway)
Longmont CO
303-772-9599

Roasted Beets with Parsley Pesto

Lovely and delicious -- but more of a side dish or snack than a main course.

Ingredients
1 bunch beets (4-5 beets)
1 tablespoon salt

Preheat oven to 375F.

Wash beets. Trim leaves and base.

Tear one square of aluminum foil per beet.

Place salt in a small bowl. Lightly roll each beet in the salt, then wrap in aluminum foil. Repeat until all the beets are finished.

Place wrapped beets on baking sheet and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until beets are tender.

Remove beets from the oven. Carefully unwrap the foil on a beet, then hold the beet under cool running water and gently remove the skin. Repeat with remaining beets.

Cut beets in small pieces and serve with parsley pesto (recipe below).


Parsley Pesto Ingredients
1 bunch parsley, washed
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
dash salt
pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water

Place parsley, garlic, walnuts, cheese, salt and pepper in a food processor, and process until finely blended.

Scrape down the food processor bowl, then, with food processor running, carefully pour oil and water down the feed tube and process until smooth.

Grated Radish Salad

Am I the only person who didn't realize that you can grate radishes? I wish I'd thought of this earlier this summer: grated radishes + avocado + salt and pepper + rice or white wine vinegar. Yum.

Easy Lentil Salad With Tarragon-Mustard Dressing

I love these little lentils. Don't the swirls of color remind you of a Van Gogh painting?

And, I love this lentil salad, with a tangy tarragon-mustard dressing. It makes a great addition to a summer salad, and most of the ingredients are probably already in your refrigerator or pantry.

Dressing adapted from this potato salad recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed (I used French lentils)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 scant tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, washed and minced
3 teaspoons dried tarragon, crushed (or 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, washed and minced)
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Place the lentils and water in a small saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are cooked but still firm (this will probably be between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on the type of lentils you are using).

While the lentils are cooking, whisk the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Drain the cooked lentils and place them in a medium-sized bowl.

Pour the dressing over the warm lentils and toss to coat.

Serve warm or chilled.

Pasta With Chickpeas, Rosemary, and Garlic

Yes, it is a lot of garlic. And rosemary. And red pepper flakes. But soooo darn addictive.

The first time I made this, I used my blender to puree the chickpeas. The second time, I just went at them with a potato masher. As might be expected, the sauce made with the blender was smoother -- but I kind of like the chunky mashed chickpea texture, too.

Ingredients
16 ounces campanelle or other small pasta, prepared per package instructions
5 cups drained cooked or canned chickpeas (rinse if using canned)
3 cups water, divided
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 ounce rosemary sprigs, washed, with the leaves removed and minced
1 teaspoon salt (I used 2 teaspoons with unsalted cooked chickpeas)

Place the chickpeas and 1 cup water in a blender and puree until smooth (or, alternatively, place the chickpeas and 1 cup water in a large bowl and mash until the chickpeas are smooth or you are tired).

Heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the garlic and minced rosemary and cook, stirring frequently, for about a minute, or until the garlic begins to brown.

Stir in the salt.

Carefully add the pureed/mashed chickpeas to the skillet, and stir to combine with the seasoned oil.

Add the remaining two cups of water to the skillet and stir until the chickpea mixture is smooth.

Allow the chickpea mixture to come to a boil, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cooked pasta and serve.

44 Hour Pizza Dough (30 Minutes From Fridge To Plate)

I love homemade pizza (see exhibits A, B, C, and D), but it can be hard to find time to let the dough rise between assembly and baking. So, a recent New York Times article about allowing pizza dough to rest for 24 to 48 hours before baking appealed to me in terms of efficiency, rather than improved taste or texture.

I mixed up my dough on a Thursday evening (using my standard recipe from Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian), and then placed it in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. On Saturday afternoon, I came home, peeked into the fridge, and saw that the dough had risen nicely. The pizza was in the oven about 20 minutes later. Ten minutes after that, I was marveling at how much better a pizza crust that's rested for a couple of days really is. And not just because I was pleased to be eating a freshly-baked homemade pizza about a half-hour after I walked in the door (although that was nice, too).

The flavor and texture of the crust were lighter, even though it was the same recipe that I normally use. (The NYT used the word "nuanced" to describe the change in flavor, which sounds silly when applied to pizza crust but is, I think, accurate). The only downside is that I ate much more pizza than I normally would, because I kept wanting to "confirm" the difference.

Spicy Lentil Stew (Mesir Wat) Part II

I am completely addicted to the spicy lentil stew I made a few weeks back. Turns out, it's even good for breakfast. And, it was one of the only things that made my head feel better during a recent cold/sinus infection.

The original recipe calls for four tablespoons of butter; two tablespoons of canola (or other vegetable) oil make a good substitute.

(Yes, the stew looks completely different in this photo than it did in the original post -- what can I say? -- the first photo was shabby.)

Green Pizza (Pizza With Spinach, Mushrooms, and Garlic)

I've been experimenting with pizza toppings again. This combination includes a green sauce of pureed spinach, garlic, red pepper flakes, and olive oil, with mushrooms (and more garlic) and parmesan cheese on top.

Yes, I do like garlic. Why do you ask?

Ingredients
1 batch pizza dough
9-10 button mushrooms, washed and diced
16 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
5 cloves of garlic, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
dash red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

In a medium bowl, toss the diced mushrooms with 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In a food processor, puree the frozen spinach with 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500F.

Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil.

Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface, and transfer to the baking sheet.

Carefully spread the pureed spinach mixture over the pizza dough. Top with the mushrooms and parmesan cheese.

Bake at 500F for 6-12 minutes, monitoring carefully after the 6 minute mark.

Ethiopian Split Pea Stew (Kik Alicha) and Spicy Lentil Stew (Mesir Wat)

I haven't been eating many legumes lately. Perhaps I needed a break after a long winter of stews and soups? But, a recent meal at an Ethiopian restaurant made me realize that I'd actually missed lentils and split peas -- and left me craving more Ethiopian food. So, I sorted through different recipes on the internet, tracked down some spicy berbere seasoning, and made my very first attempt at mesir wat (spicy lentil stew, seasoned with berbere) and kik alicha (a mild but tasty yellow split pea stew, which provides a nice counterbalance to the wat). As you can see from the photo, I cheated a bit and made naan to eat with my stew, rather than injera.

The result? I can't vouch for authenticity, but they are both delicious. I think I would even be happy to eat them during a mid-winter slump.

Spicy lentil stew recipe here, yellow split pea stew recipe here. I found bebere seasoning ($7.99 for a 1-pound bag) at the World Food Bazaar, 242 N. Havana in Aurora.

Flourless Carrot Cake (Gajar Ka Halwa)

I've had this flourless, no bake carrot cake before, in Nepalese restaurants, but never knew how to make it. Luckily, Donna (of Dine with Donna) asked a restaurant owner for the recipe. It turns out the cake is really easy to make. Basically, shredded carrots are cooked in a dry pan over medium heat until all the moisture evaporates -- then, milk, butter, and sugar are added in turn, and cooked until the liquid reduces -- and finally, cinnamon, coconut powder, and ground cardamom are stirred into the carrot mixture.

While the resulting cake is delicious, the recipe is worth making for the smell of freshly ground cardamom, alone.

Dine with Donna featured the cake more than a month ago, but it took me a while to make it because I didn't have the coconut powder called for in the recipe. I finally just decided to use coconut flour, which worked just fine (and maybe is the same thing?). You can find coconut flour at health food stores.

Recipe here.

Orzo and Vegetable Salad

The warm temperatures and sunny skies last week started me thinking about lighter spring fare. After months of winter vegetables, an orzo and vegetable salad (from Jeanne Lemlin's Quick Vegetarian Pleasures cookbook) seemed like a great way to welcome spring.

Of course, by the time I got around to making the salad, the temperature had plummeted more than 20 degrees, the sunny sky had been replaced with clouds, and it was snowing. Also, I somehow lost an hour?

While the weather (and time) may have let me down, I don't believe this salad ever will: orzo and tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, celery, parsley, feta, and (of course) kalamata olives, in a light, creamy dressing. I threw in a little chopped spinach, this time, too... Here's to the longer days, sunnier skies, and warm-weather food to come.

Pizza With Broccoli, Feta, And Garlic

Garlicky-feta goodness. Plus olives.

Ingredients
1 batch pizza dough (I used Mark Bittman's recipe with a little spelt flour mixed in, but plan to try this one in the future)
flour as needed
1 head broccoli, washed, stems removed, and finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Preheat the oven to 500F.

Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil.

Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface, and transfer to the baking sheet. Brush the dough with olive oil.

In a large bowl, combine chopped broccoli, red pepper flakes, garlic, and two teaspoons olive oil, and toss to combine.

Carefully pour the broccoli mixture onto the pizza. Top with the feta crumbles and chopped kalamata olives.

Bake at 500F for 6-12 minutes, monitoring carefully after the 6 minute mark.

Stuffed Cabbage (Not Exactly Like Grandma Made Them)

I suppose we all have our contradictions. I generally don't miss meat at all -- but sometimes I crave my Grandma's stuffed cabbage. And, so, while I usually am not interested in re-creating traditional dishes without the meat, I have tried different meatless versions of stuffed cabbage over the years -- ranging from wonderful version at a Ukrainian restaurant in New York City to a best-forgotten attempt using mock meat "crumbles."

I recently noticed a recipe for "Cabbage Parcels" in the Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen cookbook. The parcels -- stuffed with a pureed blend of barley, pecans, cashews, mushrooms, onions, and cheddar cheese -- sounded interesting, even if a bit different from the stuffed cabbage that I grew up with. And so, I decided to give them a try.

I followed the recipe pretty closely, up until it came to stuffing the cabbage leaves. The recipe said to bind the cabbage parcels with kitchen string to hold them together. I skipped this part, and instead just stuffed the cabbage the way I remember seeing it done as a girl -- dab of stuffing in the center of a steamed cabbage leaf, fold the top and then the bottom of the leaf up over the middle, and then carefully tuck the two sides underneath. The stuffed leaves then went into a large skillet of tomato sauce to simmer for about 30 minutes.

I was really pleased with the outcome -- the cabbage rolls weren't exactly like Grandma made them, but were closer than I expected, and also just plain tasty. Folks who are looking for a good homemade veg burger should check out the filling recipe ("Brown Rice-Mushroom 'Burgers,'" from the same cookbook) -- the nut/grain/mushroom blend has a good flavor and even looks surprisingly meat-like (if that's what you're into).

Spicy Cauliflower Pasta Bake

This pasta bake is quick and easy, and features two of my favorite ingredients -- cauliflower and kalamata olives. The basic recipe is from the Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home cookbook; after preparing the tomato sauce and cooking the pasta and cauliflower, I combined them in a lightly oiled 13 x 9 baking dish, baked them for 25 minutes at 375F, and then added panko bread crumbs and a little grated parmesan cheese and put the baking dish under the broiler for a couple minutes.

Blueberry Walnut Corn Muffins

I've been on a muffin kick lately. My current favorites are blueberry walnut corn muffins, made with a blend of corn meal, almond flour, and all-purpose flour. The muffins are adapted from a recipe for almond cranberry cornbread that I posted about in December. (I've discovered that it's easier not to eat 1/4 batch in a single sitting if I divide the recipe between 12 muffin cups.)

The adaptation is really simple: I substituted 1 cup frozen blueberries (tossed with 1 tablespoon flour) and 1/2 cup walnuts for the almonds, canola oil, and cranberries called for in the original recipe. Blueberries are a nice addition to corn muffins, and blueberries and walnuts taste great together. Mix the blueberries and walnuts in after combining the wet and dry ingredients.

Original recipe here.

On Top Of Spaghetti (Sweet Potato Chard Rounds)

When I first became vegetarian, I tried to make meatless versions of the dishes I was familiar with, like spaghetti and "meatballs." Over time, I became less interested in replicating traditional meat dishes, and more interested in creating tasty vegetable-based dishes. So, when I saw photo of sweet potato kale balls with pasta at Cupcake Punk recently, I was interested in the sweet potato kale rounds, but a little skeptical about serving the rounds on top of spaghetti.

The rounds are made from a mixture of mashed roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, and sautéed garlic and kale (I used chard). While it takes about an hour to caramelize the onions (good instructions here), the caramelized onions really compliment the sweet potatoes. The sweet potato mixture is rolled into rounds, coated in cornmeal, and then baked at 400F for 30 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes.

My one stray from the original recipe was pour a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar into the pan that I used to caramelize the onions (after removing then onions and chard), and then add the vinegar and any scrapings from the pan to the sweet potato mixture. I really liked the tanginess of the balsamic vinegar with the sweet potatoes and caramelized onions.

I did decide to go ahead and serve the rounds on top of spaghetti. And, I have to admit, it worked. The rounds are really good with a marinara-type sauce. Also, since the rounds are not that big, the pasta helped make a filling (but not too filling) meal.

The recipe at Cupcake Punk was adapted from a recipe by Jess at Happy Vegan Face. Jess suggested mixing cooked quinoa into the rounds, to make more of a patty. While the rounds are really good with pasta, I also might try experimenting along these lines in the future.