Sunday, September 18, 2011

Cooper Twig & Branch

One of our favorite Dallas restaurants is found in the charming Bishop Arts District. Bolsa uses fresh, local ingredients with a menu full of creative combinations and it's just pure quality eats.

We absolutely love their "Twig and Branch" Flatbread. So I decided to recreate it at home.

Twig & Branch 
Ingredients:

1 Large Flatbread
1 Tb Tomato paste
2 Tb red curry paste
1/2 small log of chèvre goat cheese, sliced thinly
1/4 cup water
2 cups red grapes
1 Tb grapeseed oil
Large pinch sugar
pinch of salt
bunch of arugula, torn into pieces
juice of  lemon *
 olive oil *

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. On a baking sheet, toss the grapes with the oil, sugar and salt. Roast for 12 minutes, or until the skins are slightly blistered. Set aside. 
2. In small saute pan, add tomato paste, curry paste and water, stir until combine and cook until warm and well incorporated.
3. Put flatbread in oven for 4-6 min to crisp a little. Meanwhile, in bowl add arugula. *I just eyeball the lemon juice and olive oil- for a light vinaigrette. Salt and Pepper. 
4. Remove flatbread from oven and spread sauce thinly on. top with slices of chevre, arugula and roasted grapes.
5. Slice up and Serve warm. Warning- you will likely eat more than you planned to.



Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps

We have our favorite Vietnamese Restaurant a few blocks from our house- Mai's. This is an adaptation from my favorite dish there.

Chili Saute Sauce from VeggieNumNum

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps


Chili Satay Sauce
  • 2 tsp peanut oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 chili, diced
  • 1 tsp curry powder or paste
  • 2 tbs peanut butter
  • 2 tsp palm sugar
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 1 lime
  • ½ cup of coriander, roughly chopped
Heat the peanut oil over a medium heat in a saucepan or frypan, add the garlic and chilli and fry for 1 minute, add the curry powder and combine with the oil. Add the peanut butter, palm sugar and coconut milk, turn down the heat and cook at a low simmer for a few minutes stiring, add a good squeeze of lime juice and the chopped coriander, stir to combine, remove from heat and set aside.
Wraps:
handful chopped cilantro
1 lime cut into slices.
1 head butter lettuce rinsed and separated into leaves
1 block extra firm tofu, sauteed. 
Add tofu to sauce. To assemble Wraps, top lettuce Leaf with vermicelli noodles, and tofu/sauce mixture and lots of cilantro. Squeeze on some lime and your ready to bite.
Yum - O


Fresh pasta with roasted Zucchini, tomatoes and seitan

This recipe is adapted from Blissful blog here.

Fresh Pasta with roasted Zucchini, Tomatoes and Seitan
For homemade pasta see my pasta post- This time I rolled it on a 4- and sliced it in thick strips for a more rustic pasta. I also- used all white flour this time. I am never buying boxed pasta again. Making and boiling homemade pasta takes as long as boiling the boxed kind- and tastes about 20 times better. 


Ingredients:
2-3 medium zucchini sliced into ½ inch pieces
1/2 pint red cherry tomatoes
1/2 pint yellow cherry tomatoes
1/2 package Italian Style Seitan
one bunch basil (about ¼ cup)
2 cloves garlic minced
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound fresh or dried pasta
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup white wine

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Place the zucchini and tomatoes on separate rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment and toss each with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 clove of minced garlic, a handful of  basil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast until zucchini is lightly browned and the tomatoes have softened about 20 to 25 minutes.  Meanwhile heat a skillet over medium heat, add the seitan and break up with a spoon until heated through.    
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente about 4 minutes for fresh or 12 minutes for dried.  Drain pasta and reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water.  Return pasta to pot, toss with a tablespoon of the olive oil.
Add the zucchini and tomatoes to the sausage making sure to scrap any juices that have accumulated in the pan and cook for a few minutes being careful not to break up the tomatoes.   Add some of the reserved cooking liquid and wine and cook just until everything is heated through and alcohol is cooked out.  Add the pasta and make sure veggies are incorporated throughout. Plate the pasta, sprinkle with the parmesan and some fresh basil.



Cherry,Pistachio,Chocolate Icecream Sandwich

Recipe today from Veggienumnum.com

Important Note: I HUGELY recommend Whole Foods- Cherry Chocolate Icecream for the icecream filling. Our fridge has been stocked with it ever since we made this. Its cherry with chocolate chips and chunks of cherries. It's AMAZING on this sandwich. We also used chocolate Pizelle cookies from Whole Foods as our wafer. They are a little lighter ( only 20 calories each- if you're counting ) than a chocolate covered wafer.


Cherry Pistachio Ice-cream Sandwich

Photo and recipe from www.veggienumnum.com
Preparation time: 5mins (+2 hours freezing time)
Serves 4
  • 1 litre (1 quart) vanilla ice-cream
  • 8 wafer biscuits
  • 3 tbs raw unsalted pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
  • 8 fresh cherries, chopped
  • 8 extra fresh cherries whole
  • 2 tbs maple syrup (optional)
Line a 25cm (10 inch) square, 10cm (4 inch) deep dish with baking paper.
Spoon frozen ice-cream into the prepared dish and press down evenly.
Cover well with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hour until firm.
Turn the ice-cream out of the dish onto a chopping board and using a wafer biscuit as a guide cut out squares of ice cream; one for each wafer.
Gently press the edges of each sandwich into the chopped pistachio nuts.
Serve sandwich with remaining whole cherries and drizzled with maple syrup if desired.
Yum num nummmm..
Place the sandwich wafer side down and top with chopped cherries and reaming wafer biscuit.

Savory Green Pancakes with Cilantro Lime Butter

Okay- I haven't stopped thinking about these since I made them 2 weeks ago. They are so rich and delicious. And the butter is to die for.

Again from Relishingit.com. Check out her beautiful pics here


Savory Green Pancakes with Cilantro Lime Butter


I used this vintage pancake mold to get my pretty circles : )

The Recipe:  Savory Green Pancakes with Cilantro Lime Butter
Serves 3-4
Cilantro Lime Butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, soft, but somewhat cold
grated zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
dash of chile flakes, to taste
Savory Green Pancakes
1/2 pound (8 ounces) Swiss Chard, washed, stems removed
3/4 cup self – rising flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 egg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
5-6 medium green onions, finely sliced
1 fresh green chili, thinly sliced  (more if you prefer heat)
1 egg white
olive oil for frying
(Note: to make self-rising flour, combine 1 cup flour, 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt)
To make the cilantro lime butter: Place the somewhat chilled butter in a medium bowl (I liked working with the butter slightly chilled, because it was easy to roll into a log — it does take a little more muscle to get the ingredients mixed into it).  Mix in the rest of the ingredients until the butter mixture is creamy and uniform.  I formed the butter into a log using the wrapper from the butter,  you could also use plastic wrap and twist the ends of the wrap.  Chill until firm.
Wilt the Swiss chard in a hot frying pan with a splash of water.  Drain in a colander and when completely cool, squeeze out the remaining liquid using a paper towel or your hands.  Chop well and set aside.
Place the flour, baking powder, whole egg, melted butter, salt, cumin, and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.  Add the green onions, chiles, and Swiss Chard and combine with a spoon.  Whisk the egg white to soft peaks (I used my electric mixer, but you could do it by hand) and gently fold into the batter.
Pour a small amount of olive oil into a heavy frying pan and place on medium-high heat.  For each pancake, ladle 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan.  These are meant to be small pancakes, about 3 inches in diameter and 3/8-inch thick.  Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until you get a beautiful golden color.   Enjoy with a small slice of the cilantro lime butter placed on each pancake.



Cooper Peach Cobbler

I am a Peach Cobbler phene. Pair it with icecream and it is my top favorite dessert. Here is one of my best recipes from my chef mother-n-law.

                                 Cooper Peach Cobbler

In large bowl combine:
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tb Flour
1 tsp cinnamon
7 cups peeled sliced peaches
(Put in buttered/sprayed baking dish, or seperate into ramekins)

In another bowl combine topping ingredients:
2/3 cup graham crackers squares
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 Tb oats (okay- I put about 1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Then, Cut in 1/3 cup cold cubed butter

Sprinkle Topping on top of peach mixture in dish. Drizzle 2 Tb honey on top
Bake: 40-45 min at 375 degrees.
(Less if using ramekins)

Finish with a scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream : ) and enjoy the sweet warm meltey goodness. 


OOh- Lime,Mascarpone Frosting

Monday dessert nights have given me a huge list of desserts -here I go:

Carrot Cake with Lime Mascarpone Icing

recipe and photo from www.relishingit.com


We are all wishing it was fall- when it still manages to hit 100 every week here. BOO. But we we fake it for our dinner dates. This week we had wild rice stuffed acorn squash, and this cake. I can't tell you how yummy this frosting is. I am forever using mascarpone in my cream cheese frostings.  And the lime- o man. I just want to eat it from the bowl...and I might have done just that.

For the Cake:
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
5 large free-range or organic eggs, separated
zest and juice of 1 orange
1 1/2 cups of self-rising flour, sifted
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 cup ground almonds
4 ounces / 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted, plus more for topping the cake
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
10 ounces/ 3 cups organic carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
pinch of kosher salt
For the Lime Mascarpone Icing:
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
zest and juice of 1 lime
Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and line with parchment paper a 9 – inch square or round cake pan.  (Note:  I used mini-loaf pans and yielded 6).  Beat the butter and sugar together by hand or using a stand mixer until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the egg yolks one at a time and add the orange zest and juice.  Gently stir in the sifted flour and baking powder, and add the ground almonds, walnuts, spices and the grated carrots.  Mix together well.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gently fold them into the cake mix.  Scoop the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 50 minutes (less if using the mini-loaf pans) until golden and risen.  To check cake using a toothpick, insert into cake for 5 seconds — it’s done when it comes out clean.  If it feels sticky, bake a bit longer.  Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
To make the icing: mix all of the ingredients except the lime juice together.  Carefully add 1 teaspoon at a time.  Making sure the icing doesn’t get too thin.  Spread generously on the cake and top with walnuts.  Enjoy!
Source:  Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Cook With Jamie Cookbook

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Best Vegetarian Restaurant


Welp- we found it. The best vegetarian restaurant we have ever eaten at- HANDS DOWN. Denver, Colorado- Watercourse Foods. Holey Ja-Moley people- it's good. Some Dang Serious Grub.
We only got to eat their once unfortunately- I had the Monti Pasta, Geoff had the Seitan Fried Steak. 
YUMMO.  

Since, I don't live in Denver and can't eat here every week- I had to mimick a few of their recipes. Here are 2 (I'll be working on more) 

#1- This is total Mandy Comfort Food- and the recipe I am dreaming about daily now.  Smoky Portabello, Broccoli and Artichokes in a creamy Brie Sauce...where's my fork, for real. 

Mandy's Monti Pasta


  • 1 package Whole Wheat Penne
  • 1-2 Portabello Caps sliced and grilled on grill pan. 
  • 1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, quartered and drained
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 head of broccoli, chopped
  • 5 oz. Brie ( I bought the mushroom flavored Brie at my cheese counter)
  • 1/4 cup white wine (if you don't cook with wine, use broth)
  • 1 Tb Olive Oil
  • 1 Tb butter
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil and butter on Med high in saute pan. Add garlic and shallot and cook for 1-2 min until soft. 

2. Meanwhile get your water to a boil for your pasta and cook according to package. In the last 3 minutes of cooking your pasta, add the broccoli. Drain and set aside.

3. Add artichokes and wine 
to saute pan and cook for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and broccoli and stir until mixed through. 

3. Pinch off bits of your block of brie into your saute pan. It will slowly melt into your artichoke/wine liquid. Add enough Brie to make a creamy sauce that covers your vegetables. (I like about 3-4 oz in in mine).

4. Mix in pasta. Salt and Pepper and Serve Warm. 


#2- Adapted from The 3 Sisters Salad from WaterCourse. Never too many Salad recipes.

The Triplet Salad



  • 1 bag mixed greens
  • 1/2 cup chopped romaine 
  • 2 corn on the cobs
  • 1 zucchini, halved
  • 1 can spicy black beans
  • 1/2 cup Chili Lime Pepitas. recipe here
  • Chipotle Ranch-recipe here

DIRECTIONS

1. Grill Corn and zucchini in grill pan. Turning every couple minutes until cooked through with grill marks. Meanwhile, warm the beans on the stove.

2. Remove Corn and Zucchini from grill and slice corn off of husk, chop zucchini. 

3. Chop beans with Pepitas.

3. Serve greens mixed with romaine, topped with corn and zucchini mixture, bean and pepita mixture and Chipotle Ranch Dressing.





Berrylicious

Every Monday night we have a dinner party with our good friends to do a little bit of this:
Well it's definitely my favorite day of the week because not only do I get to see my bestie Caitlin, but we get to eat some incredibly gourmet food made by her husband, Nick. The man has food genius running in his veins or something. He doesn't even use recipes. And although I admit he makes me want to retire from cooking altogether- I can't help but to anxiously anticipate every Monday Feast of the Gods.

Well- on the wimpier end of the deal- I bring dessert haha. I'm big into desserts (eating them), always have been. So I'm even bigger into healthy desserts, or else I would be...well Big.

Here are two of our recent fav's.

#1- Love the nuts, the light creamy filling and tart berries- mmmm.


Fresh Berry Tart with Toasted Nut Crust
photo and recipe from VegetarianTimes.com
Serves 8

A crumbly homemade nut crust sets this tart apart from other berry pies. It can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

Crust
  • 1/4 cup each almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts
  • 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 6 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, diced
  • 1 large egg yolk

Filling
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream
  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbs. light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. grated orange zest
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 Tbs. orange juice

DIRECTIONS
1. To make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray. Spread nuts on baking sheet, and toast in oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until browned.
2. Pulse nuts, flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until nuts are ground to powder. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk, and pulse until moist clumps form. Press dough into bottom and sides of prepared pan, about 1/4-inch thick, and pierce with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.
3. Adjust oven temperature to 400°F. Bake Crust 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden. Cool.
4. To make Filling: whisk together sour cream, yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in small bowl. Toss berries with orange juice in separate bowl.
5. Spread sour cream mixture in Crust with spatula. Spoon berries over top a little at a time, until sour cream mixture is evenly covered. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

# 2- LOVE rhubarb. We used Whole Grain Cinnamon Almond Biscotti Cookies from Whole Foods instead of Amaretti. This was my first time to use real vanilla bean- and o man is it good. 


Amaretti Frozen Yogurt with Warm Vanilla-Roasted Rhubarb


The components for this easy, elegant dessert can be made ahead of time and assembled just before serving. The roasted rhubarb will keep up to 1 week in the fridge. 

Serves 6
  • 1 1/2 pt. nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt, softened (3 cups)
  • 8 large amaretti (Italian almond cookies), crushed
  • 1 lb. fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1/3 cup sweetened pomegranate juice
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • DIRECTIONS

    1. Place frozen yogurt in large bowl. Add amaretti; stir well to combine.

    2. Working quickly, scoop frozen yogurt mixture into 6 balls. Place in wax paper–lined metal baking pan, and freeze several hours, or until yogurt balls are firm.

    3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss rhubarb with pomegranate juice in 9- x 7-inch baking dish. Split vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and stir seeds into rhubarb. Sprinkle sugar over fruit, and toss to mix. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to serving dish, and cool.

    4. For each serving, place 1 frozen yogurt ball in dessert dish, and surround with 1/3 cup rhubarb. 

Quinoa Obsessed

Geoff and I went on a roadtrip this summer, and as always we got to try out a lot of fabulous restaurants. Ironically, while at a rather mediocre restaurant, I got the most delicious quinoa tabouleah salad ever. I almost died- it was that good. And since that meal- I've been on a huge quinoa kick. So I'm posting two quinoa recipes today.

Quinoa is a legume, however the taste and texture is similar to Couscous. Unlike wheat, it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source. Also high in phosporus, magnesium, fiber, and iron it is a fabulous gluten-free food for everyone. I like beans and lentils, but honestly I can only eat so much of them. It's super versatile too- use it as a substitute for rice, or any other starch you might use in a meal.

The first recipe I sort of mimicked from a delicious dish I got at Green Vegetarian Cuisine in San Antonio.

It's called the GREEN BOWL if you get it there, and an amazing thing about that place is their array of dressings- pecan caesar, citrus vinaigrette,...okay there were too many yummies to remember.

I will definitely be bringing this for lunches this year. And guess what- it has the same amount of protein in this bowl as you would get in a chicken breast, probably more actually. Like I've said- Meat, who needs it.
photo from green vegetarian cuisine

                                              GREEN BOWL

Serves 2
half a bag of Spinach
Can of spicy black beans
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 Tb hot sauce (I like Slap Your Mama)
1 cup quinoa tabbouleh (Arti's recipe here, except I double the quinoa measurement)
2 Tb guacamole
Dressing of choice, optional. ( I recommend Chipotle Ranch)
2 Tb Chili Lime Pepitas, optional

(yep- thats it. But trust me it's delicious and soooo good for you.)

Empty can of beans into saute pan on medium heat. I like to add cheese and hot sauce until melted. Spice it up however you like. Keep warm.

Put a handful or two of spinach in each bowl, layer with a helping of warm beans, then quinoa tabbouleh, Guacamole, and top with your dressing. We also LOVE to add delicious Chili Lime Pepitas.


NOW for Quinoa Obsession # 2

Whatever you do- don't skimp on the Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw- it is tart, refreshing, delicious and totally makes this burrito something beautiful.  And PS- I didn't actually make my own green salsa- I just bought some and saved myself some time : )

Quinoa & Bean Burritos w/ Slaw & Green Tomato Salsa


Photo and Recipe from VeggieNumNum.com
Quinoa & Beans

  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander (cilantro) seeds
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1-2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups cooked or tinned borlotti beans
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
Dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds over a medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant but be careful not to burn them. Grind the roasted seeds until they form a coarse powder.
Heat the olive oil in a deep heavy based frying pan, fry off the spices including the paprika for 30 seconds add the onion and continue to fry over a medium heat adding the garlic after 1-2 minutes.
Adding a little dash of stock to form a paste in the bottom of the pan toss in the beans and quinoa stir to combine and cook for a minute to allow the flavours develop. Add the remaining stock and bringing to a gentle simmer cook the quinoa for 15 minutes over a low heat until tender and liquid absorbed.
The quinoa and beans can be made ahead of time a reheated being sure to toss through the chopped mint just before serving.

Red Cabbage & Apple Slaw
  • 270g (9½ oz) red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 red apple, diced
  • ¼ cup sultanas (raisins)
  • 1 juicy lime, juice only
  • ¼ cup non-dairy or dairy yoghurt
  • ½ cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Whisk the lime juice with the yoghurt adding salt and pepper to taste. Toss all the ingredients together including the dressing until well combined, set aside. The slaw can be made ahead of time a kept covered in the fridge.

Green Tomato Salsa

  • 1 green tomato, chopped
  • ½ red capsicum (bell pepper), diced
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 1 chilli (optional), diced
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • pinch raw sugar
Combine all the ingredients together in a food processor or using a stick blender process to a thick salsa sauce. Use immediately or keep covered in the fridge.

Quinoa & Bean Burritos w/ Slaw & Green Tomato Salsa

  • Quinoa & Beans
  • Red Cabbage & Apple Slaw
  • Green Tomato Salsa
  • Dairy or dairy-free yoghurt (optional)
  • Your favourite dairy or dairy-free cheese (optional)
  • fresh lettuce leaves
  • sliced avocado
  • warmed tortillas (if you’d like to try making your own follow this recipe I posted a while back for Homemade Wheat Tortillas :)
Spread a warmed tortilla with a little yoghurt if using, top with lettuce leaves, quinoa and beans, green tomato salsa, slaw, slices of avocado and cheese if using. Wrap up and enjoy. A great vegan or vegetarian recipe the whole family will love!!



You're Welcome : )