Ottolenghi-Inspired Spiced Mung Beans with Caramelized Onion + Roasted Kabocha

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Wednesday night special. Mung beans with caramelized onion and lots of spice, tender wedges of kabocha squash, pan-roasted grape tomatoes: a meal like this is pretty much food nirvana for me. As I bathed in the light of my oh-so-sophisticated creation, Mr Yogi strolled into the kitchen and at a glance proclaimed my beloved to be A Hippie Salad.

Fine, call my salad a hippie; I’m okay with that. I recognize that mung beans are an iconic hippie relic of the 1970s. They’re still delicious. Maybe I’m a hippie, or a hippie wanna-be. Maybe I wear a chakra necklace, slather on coconut oil as a moisturizer, and (twice) attempted to convert over to the no-poo shampoo method (didn’t work for me, though; subtract three hippie points). I’m in the process of owning my unique brand of crazy these days, hippie tendencies, mung beans, and all.

I usually cook with whole mung beans from the bulk bins (bonus hippie points, that one!), soaking them for a few hours before cooking. Recently, though, I discovered these slightly sprouted and dried green mung beans at Fairway and decided to give them a try. As with most grains and legumes, sprouting increases nutrient availability and speeds cooking time, making these guys ideal for a weeknight dinner with no advance planning required. Boiling the beans for 5 minutes, then turning off the heat and letting them sit for 8 minutes or so, yields a nutty, fresh-tasting bean with a pleasantly snappy bite.
Researching mung bean preparations online, I landed upon an Ottolenghi recipe for carrot-mung bean salad published in The Guardian. Super-simple, spiced with cumin, fennel, and caraway seeds, and blessed by Sir Yotam himself, it was the one. I nixed the carrots, opting instead to serve the beans over wedges of bright-orange kabocha squash, and adding caramelized onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno to the mix along with lusciously shriveled orbs of sweet-tart, pan-seared grape tomatoes for a bright finish.
  
Crazy for kabocha! With dense, sweet flesh, and beautiful green skin that is thin and tender, so it doesn’t need to be peeled, this squash gets two thumbs up for easy weeknight dinner prep. 

Plated and ready to e.a.t. In the interest of keepin’ it real…an of-the-moment iphone pic snapped before devouring this at 10 pm on a Wednesday night. Workweek dinner, nyc style.
(Other pics taken the next morning, with the great benefit of natural light 🙂

Spiced Mung Beans with Caramelized Onion + Roasted Kabocha
Serves 4

2-pound kabocha squash, stem and base trimmed, halved lengthwise, and seeds removed; halves cut into 1-inch wedges (can substitute buttercup or acorn squash)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1.5 cups)
1 garlic clove, minced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 jalapeno, minced (including seeds)
1 cup sprouted and dried mung beans (or whole dried mung beans, soaked in water for 6 to 8 hours and drained)
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes (or to taste)
zest and juice of 1 lemon (I used a Meyer lemon)
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (plus a few leaves for garnish)
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
2 cups baby greens (spinach, arugula, etc)
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds, to garnish (optional)

olive oil

sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 400F.

Kabocha: In a large bowl combine kabocha squash, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss to coat the squash. Transfer squash to a baking sheet, arranging the wedges in a single layer. Cook until tender and lightly browned around the edges, about 40 minutes, turning pieces halfway through.

Mung beans: Bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and mung beans. Boil for 5 minutes, turn off heat and let sit for about 8 minutes, covered, until the beans are tender but retain some bite. (If using whole, soaked mung beans, you may need to cook the beans longer. Test as you go.) Drain excess water and set beans aside.

Caramelized onions: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add cumin, caraway, and fennel seeds, stirring for a few minutes until they start to pop. Add onion and a pinch of salt; cook until the onion softens and turns a deep brown color, 12 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeno, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

Pan-roasted tomatoes: After cooking onion mixture, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet and cook the tomatoes, with a pinch of salt, over medium-high heat until they burst and caramelize, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Putting it together: While the tomatoes cook, add the mung beans to the onion mixture. Add chile flakes, lemon zest and juice, and cilantro, tossing gently to combine. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

To serve: arrange 3 or 4 kabocha wedges on each plate; place a small handful of greens in the center. Place a large scoop (about 1/2 cup) of the mung bean mixture atop the greens. Garnish with roasted tomatoes, toasted nuts or seeds, cilantro leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm.

Gluten-Free Pear + Cranberry Crisp

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Crisps, crumbles, cobblers, buckles, slumps, and grunts. (No, I didn’t make up that last one — the grunt actually exists!) To me there’s no better sweet treat than warm, tender fruit bubbling with juices and crowned by a buttery, crumbly top that’s baked to a golden brown. And there’s always a new and interesting combination to be tried: stone fruits, berries, rhubarb in spring and summer; pears, apples, quince in fall and winter; fresh and dried spices, citrus zests, different types of flours, nuts and seeds in the topping. Add a dollop of yogurt, creme fraiche, coconut cream, or of course ice cream, and you’ve got a swoon-worthy dessert on your hands.

A couple of weeks ago I had the awesome opportunity to work with a couple of fellow Natural Gourmet school alums cooking for a weekend yoga retreat. This was a dream come true for me, since yoga and cooking are basically my favorite things in the world. And as a bonus to working in the kitchen, I got to eat a lot of really good food — meals that were healthy and balanced, as well as satisfying and incredibly delicious. Silky root vegetable soups, creamy brown rice risotto, hearty kale chickpea stew, crisp and refreshing salads at every meal. Natural foods chef heaven.

In the mornings, over cups of coffee and fresh-squeezed juices, recipe requests poured in from the yogis for the latest dishes they had tasted. Over the course of the weekend the most in-demand recipe was for a pear-cherry crisp, made gluten-free with a GF all-purpose flour blend and almond flour in the streusel topping. I decided to recreate it this weekend for mr. yogi and me, taking it in a slightly more tart direction by replacing the cherries with cranberries (I can’t get enough of cranberries this time of year), and with coconut flour in place of the gluten-free flour blend in the topping.

Arrowroot powder

In addition to orange zest and juice, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and ginger, I also added a bit of orange blossom water to the pear and cranberry filling. It bumps up the citrus flavors and adds a fragrant, floral element that goes nicely with fruit (try it in salad dressings, too – fantastic).

Arrowroot powder is my thickening agent of choice in fruit desserts like crisps, pies, and tarts. Unlike wheat flour or cornstarch, arrowroot is gluten-free and grain-free (made from the dried and powdered root of the tropical arrowroot plant), high in calcium, easily digestible, and soothing to the gastrointestinal tract.

Getting the streusel going: clockwise from left, coconut palm sugar, coconut flour, blanched almond flour.

Coconut and almond flours are high in fiber, low in sugars, and good sources of healthy fats (though coconut flour has been partially defatted, some fat remains) and protein, all of which help to stem the blood sugar spike that occurs when ingesting sweets. Coconut flour is also a good source of iron (just 2 tablespoons provides about 10% of our daily requirement) and almond flour is a good source of calcium, iron, vitamin E, and magnesium (the ‘relaxation’ mineral). Using coconut palm sugar, which has a lower glycemic index than white sugar, also makes the crisp somewhat more friendly on the waistline.

Even though the crisp is otherwise grain-free, I like the hearty texture of rolled oats in the topping; you can easily leave them out, in which case I suggest doubling the amount of chopped almonds. If you’d like to veganize, chilled coconut oil can be substituted for the butter.

Fresh from the oven … bubbling, browned, buttery and oh-so-tempting. As you can see, this is a crisp that doesn’t skimp on streusel — it’s thick, nubbly, almost volcanic-looking.

Warm pear + cranberry crisp with a dollop of thick, tangy Greek yogurt (flavored with a touch of orange blossom water) and a few shreds of orange zest for a pop of color. Sweet-tart fruit dessert perfection. Get your spoon ready and dig in!

Gluten-Free Pear + Cranberry Crisp
Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds pears (about 5 medium – I used a few Bosc and a couple of Bartlett), peeled, cored, and diced
8 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon orange blossom water (optional)
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
pinch of sea salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)

1 cup almond flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 stick + 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted organic butter, cut into cubes (or 2/3 cup chilled coconut oil)
1/3 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/2 cup rolled oats (optional – if omitting, double the amount of chopped almonds)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (or freshly squeezed orange juice)
grated orange zest, to garnish

Heat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl combine pears, cranberries, orange zest and juice, orange blossom water, sugar, spices, arrowroot, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor add almond and coconut flours, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and pulse until the mixture comes together and has a cookie dough-like consistency; not too sticky, but moist enough to stay together when you squeeze a bit in your palm. Turn mixture out into a bowl and stir in chopped almonds and oats.

Transfer fruit to a 9-inch pie dish (or other baking dish), and top with the streusel mixture, evenly distributing it over the fruit. Bake for about 1 hour, until juices are bubbling and streusel is lightly browned.

In a small bowl combine Greek yogurt with orange blossom water, stirring until smooth.

Serve crisp warm or at room temperature with a dollop of orange blossom yogurt and a grating of orange zest.

{ Fabulous Fermentation Week } Golden Beet Soup with Sauerkraut + Ginger Cream

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Growing up in a mostly-Italian family with a kick-ass cook for a mama, many delicious dishes graced our table over the years, and yet (perhaps not surprisingly) despite our unanimous fondness for beets, borscht was never one of them. My first encounter with this dark and delicious concoction was only a few short years ago during culinary school, when I was assigned the job of borscht-maker during one of our soup and stew classes. An hour (and a hot-pink-splotched-and-stained recipe) later, I had fallen in love with this earthy, sweet, pleasantly tangy and comforting dish. Perhaps I was Eastern European in a past life? Anything is possible. But I do know this: beet borscht is one of the most under-appreciated dishes of all time.

When brainstorming recipes to share for Fabulous Fermentation Week, created by two of my favorite healthy bloggers, the lovely Elenore of Earthsprout and Sarah of My New Roots, I landed on the idea of a lighter and brighter take on the classic borscht: a golden beet soup with sauerkraut. And, lucky me, I happened to have a batch of homemade kraut in the fridge, just waiting for such an occasion…


A mason jar of tangy, fermented goodness is always a good thing to have around: this one is chock full of green cabbage, carrot, and ginger.

This soup is definitely of the let-the-sunshine-in variety. Perfect for these cold, dark January days; its yellow and orange hues make me feel like I am being filled with the gorgeous glow of late afternoon. Root vegetables, warming and grounding for this time of year, plus the potent medicinal triad of onions, garlic, and ginger, make this a pot of ultra-winter-appropriate goodness to nourish the body and spirit. Caraway seeds and dried dill are must-haves in my book – classic borscht seasonings that pair so beautifully with beets – and a pinch of turmeric enhances the broth’s golden color to an even richer hue. 

Sauerkraut, stirred into the pot after the soup has cooled for a few minutes to preserve its wealth of beneficial bacteria, provides gentle notes of sourness and salinity to the sweet and earthy roots, along with a dose of homegrown probiotics. And last but not least, a dollop of ginger-spiked Greek yogurt, ready to be swished and swiped with each spoonful, makes for a bright and tangy finishing touch.
golden beet soup with sauerkraut + ginger cream

serves 6

for soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
pinch of ground turmeric (about 1/8 teaspoon)
3 medium-sized golden beets, peeled and cut into matchsticks or shredded in a food processor (about 4 cups)
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks or shredded (about 2 cups)
1 small fennel bulb, finely diced (about 1-1/2 cups) (reserve green fronds for garnish)
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon dried dillweed
1/2 cup to 1 cup raw sauerkraut (depending on sourness of the kraut and your personal taste), drained, liquid reserved*
1 tablespoon sauerkraut liquid (or to taste)
sea salt

for ginger cream:
1/2 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt, and cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, caraway seeds, and turmeric, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in beets, carrot, and diced fennel.

Add water, bay leaf, dill, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring soup to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover. Cook until vegetables are tender and broth is flavorful, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

To make the ginger cream, whisk together yogurt and ginger in a small bowl. Reserve until ready to serve (can be made up to 24 hours in advance and kept chilled).

Remove soup pot from heat, allow to cool for a few minutes, and stir in sauerkraut. Season to taste with sauerkraut juice and additional sea salt, if needed. Serve in warmed bowls, garnishing with a dollop of ginger cream and a few torn fennel fronds.
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*sauerkraut with carrot + ginger
makes about 1 quart
1 small head green cabbage (approx. 1 lb), shredded (about 6 cups)
1 carrot, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sea salt
Combine cabbage, carrot, and ginger in a large bowl. Sprinkle sea salt over vegetables. With clean hands, massage the vegetables until they soften and release their liquid, 5 to 10 minutes.
Pack the cabbage mixture into a sterilized quart jar, pressing with a pestle to tighly pack down. Pour remaining liquid (brine) into jar to cover vegetables by at least 1 inch. Weight the top of the cabbage mixture to help the vegetables stay submerged (I use a sterilized spice jar, filled with water and covered with a tight-fitting cap). Cover jar with lid or a clean cloth and twine.
Leave jar at room temperature to ferment, using the weight to press down the vegetables if they begin to rise above the level of the brine. Ferment for anywhere from several days to several weeks, depending on temperature and how sour you like the kraut. Taste along the way, and transfer to the refrigerator when it tastes right to you (the kraut will continue to ferment when chilled, but at a slower rate).
** Fermentation Friends **

roasted roots with miso + poppy seed dressing

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In the name of local, seasonal culinary love, and that epic farmers’ market trip where my haul included about 10 pounds of roots, welcome back to what has turned out to be Root Vegetable Week here at Kale & Cardamom headquarters. Are you excited? I know I am 😉 The Yogi, not so much, though he’s made a big pot of chili (with habaneros!), so he’s doing just fine (and I’m delighted, because he makes the best chili I have ever tasted).

Even though I’ve taken to braising my roots recently, that doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned roasting altogether (winter dryness be damned!). Case in point: a dish of roasted carrots, rutabaga, and turnips with miso-poppy seed dressing that I’ve taken quite a shine to.

Savory, salty, umami-rich miso paste is a great pairing with sweet, starchy vegetable matter — especially roots and winter squash like kabocha. Here I whipped up a miso-based dressing, perked up with rice vinegar for tang, walnut oil for nutty richness (and super-healthy monounsaturated and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids), and poppy seeds for cuteness factor.

You can use any root vegetables you like in this recipe. I used rutabaga, turnips, and multi-colored heirloom carrots; sweet potatoes would also be great, and red or golden beets. Or head in the winter squash direction and sub in kabocha, butternut, delicata, or acorn squash, either cubed or cut into long, thin sections before roasting.

I served the roots over a little heap of massaged purple kale salad (recipe for that is below, too), which made a nice match. For a heartier meal, add some rice (black or red rice would be particularly dramatic) or other grains to the mix.

And one more thing: leftovers are fantastic with a soft-cooked or poached egg (or two) on top.

roasted roots with miso + poppy seed dressing and purple kale
serves 4 to 6

1 large rutabaga (about 1 pound), peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
3-4 small turnips, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
1 pound carrots, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

4 cups purple kale, stems removed, leaves thinly sliced
1 teaspoon nama shoyu (or tamari)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mellow white miso or chickpea miso paste (unpasteurized)
1/2 teaspoon ginger juice (grate the fresh root on a ginger grater or microplane and squeeze to release the juices)
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 425 F.

Arrange the root vegetables on one or two sheet trays (I used one for the cubed rutabaga + turnips, another for the carrots, since they are cut into different shapes and therefore cook at different rates). Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, stir to coat, and arrange in a single layer. Transfer to the oven and cook until caramelized and tender, about 25 to 35 minutes for the cubed vegetables, 35 to 45 minutes for the carrots). Stir halfway through.

In a medium bowl combine the kale, shoyu, and rice vinegar. With clean hands, massage the kale for a couple of minutes, squeezing to release its juices. Marinate for 15 minutes before serving.

In a small bowl whisk together the miso paste, ginger juice, walnut oil, rice vinegar, and poppy seeds until smooth. Season with black pepper to taste. (The miso is salty so I did not season with additional salt.)

To serve, place a handful of kale on each plate, top with roasted vegetables, and drizzle with miso dressing.

braised parsnips with cumin and coriander

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As usual for January in New York, I returned from my Greenmarket trip yesterday hauling no less than 10 pounds of root vegetables. Among them, a rutabaga almost the size of my cranium, a bunch of rainbow-hued carrots, little white turnips, big golden beets, and a bag of slender, creamy-hued parsnips. No matter how often I eat these starchy winter roots this time of year, I never tire of them; often I simply roast them in large batches on a couple of sheet pans until their natural sugars are concentrated and their edges caramelized. Then they’re ready to eat throughout the week: solo, maybe seasoned with a spritz of lemon and a dash of tamari, and added to soups, stews, and salads. They make a fantastic addition to a winter Buddha bowl, too.

This week I got into reading a couple of my Ayurvedic cookbooks, which recommend liquid-based cooking rather than dry-roasting for most vegetables, especially starchy ones like roots and winter squash. The logic is that roasting increases the drying energy of these foods, and in winter, a cold, dry, and windy season, this is not exactly what our bodies, already struggling to hold onto moisture, really need. So, with a home-brewed humidifier already steaming on the stovetop (our apartment has been so dry lately, and this has helped a lot — and smells amazing; I’ve included a pic of the brew below), it made sense to let the oven rest and give the parsnips a quick braise.

First I toasted cumin seeds and ground coriander in homemade ghee until the spices were fragrant, then added the peeled and chopped parsnips, cooking them until they began to caramelize around the edges. I added a little water, so the parsnips were about half-submerged, covered the pot, and simmered the mixture for about 10 minutes, until the parsnips were fork-tender. Done.

Braising made the parsnips ultra-tender and seemed to bring out their sweetness even more than roasting. The toasty, buttery richness of the ghee and brightness of the cumin and coriander were perfect complements to the sweet, earthy roots. This could be a fast, simple, and flavor-packed side dish alongside braised, grilled, or roasted meats; or add greens, beans, and a grain for a complete plant-based meal.

{Roll-cut parsnips}

















{Old-school humidifier: orange peels, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and cloves}






braised parsnips with cumin and coriander
serves 2 to 4

Choose smaller, thinner parsnips at the market, if possible; they are sweeter and more tender than larger specimens. If you don’t have ghee on hand, sweet butter, coconut oil, or olive oil can be substituted, although they will not impart quite the same richness and depth of flavor. Also try using carrots, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potato, or kabocha squash in place of the parsnips.

1-2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 pound parsnips, peeled and roll cut (or diced into 3/4-inch pieces), about 2 cups
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a 2- to 3- quart saucepan melt ghee over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and coriander and toast the spices, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the parsnips, stirring to coat with ghee and spices, and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until the parsnips are golden around the edges, 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

Add water until parsnips are about halfway submerged (about 1/2 cup). Stir, cover, and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until parsnips are tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. At this point most of the water should have evaporated. If the parsnips look too wet, cook uncovered for a few minutes to allow the liquid to evaporate.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

cauliflower fennel soup with ghee-toasted seeds

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The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas always seem to fly by at lightning speed, and this year’s been no different. I made a totally delicious pureed cauliflower and fennel soup for lunch the Saturday after T-Day, snapped a pic, then never got around to posting it. Luckily I jotted down the recipe, since I had a feeling I might want to share this one (and make it again myself, too).

Creamy, comforting, and gently spiced, this plant-amped soup is a welcome antidote to holiday indulgences, yet it’s also festive enough to serve as a starter or amuse bouche for a dinner party (it would look especially cute poured into shot glasses and topped with a few toasted seeds). 
Cauliflower creates an ultra-rich and creamy consistency when pureed (so this is a great way to make a creamy soup without using cream), and fennel is sweet and soothing to the digestive tract. Cumin, coriander, turmeric, and fennel seed are warming, anti-inflammatory, and immune-supportive: ideal spices for the colder months of the year.
To add textural interest and elevate the soup to the main-course realm, I reserved some of the cauliflower and chopped it into small florets, roasting them in the oven with olive oil, sea salt, cumin and fennel, until fragrant and caramelized around the edges. (The challenge here is to keep yourself from nibbling away at the crispy cauliflower bits until there’s none left for the soup. They’re as addictive as potato chips 😉
Ghee-toasted seeds have been my favorite garnish lately. I first whipped up a batch to add crunch and depth of flavor to a three-bean green chile stew a couples of months ago, and they were a big hit. Ever since I’ve been making them in bigger batches (they’ll stay fresh at least a week in an airtight container at cool room temp) and have been tossing them over soups and salads, roasted winter vegetables and baked sweet potatoes. They’re a perfect toasty, nutty finish to just about anything, not to mention a good dose of protein, healthy fats, and essential minerals. 
cauliflower fennel soup with ghee-toasted seeds
makes about 1 quart (4 cups): 4 servings as a main course, 8 as a starter
the soup
olive or coconut oil, or ghee
1 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 fennel bulb, diced (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2/3 of a large head of cauliflower, base and leaves removed, roughly chopped (about 4 cups) (reserve remaining cauliflower for roasting, below)
1 bay leaf
juice of 1 lime
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
roasted cauliflower florets
1/3 head of cauliflower (about 2 cups), cut into small florets
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
ghee-toasted seeds
(this makes more than you will need for the soup — use the extra seeds to garnish salads and anything else you can think of)
2 tablespoons ghee
1 cup seeds/nuts of your choice (I used equal parts green pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, and pine nuts)
sea salt, to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Heat oven to 425F.
For the soup: In a large pot over medium heat add a splash of oil or a couple of spoonfuls of ghee (about 2 tablespoons). When fat is glistening add the onion and fennel along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Saute until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute or so, until spices are fragrant.
Add the cauliflower to the pot, stirring to coat with spices. Add just enough cold water to submerge the vegetables (about 4 to 5 cups), and add the bay leaf, big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover pot and cook on low until the cauliflower is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Allow the soup to cool for a few minutes, remove the bay leaf, and puree in several batches in a blender (filling the container no more than halfway each time). Return pureed soup to the rinsed pot and gently reheat over a low flame. Stir in the lime juice; if the soup is too thick, add a little water to thin it out. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
To serve, transfer soup to heated bowls, top with a couple of tablespoons of roasted cauliflower florets, a scattering of toasted seeds, and a drizzle of good-tasting olive oil.
For the roasted cauliflower: combine the cauliflower florets, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, cumin and fennel seeds, pinch of salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Toss to evenly coat the cauliflower with spices. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, arranging the cauliflower in a single layer, and roast until the florets and browned and crispy, about 20 to 25 minutes (stir halfway through).
For the toasted seeds: melt ghee (or olive or coconut oil, if you like) in a heavy-bottomed skillet over a medium-low flame; I like cast iron for this, since it heats evenly and helps prevent the seeds from burning. Add the seeds or nuts to the skillet, stirring to coat with ghee. If using seeds or nuts of very different sizes, such as sliced almonds and sesame seeds, add the bigger ones first since they’ll take longer to brown, and add the small seeds toward the end so they don’t burn. Toast, stirring often, until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt to taste.

spiced butternut squash-apple bisque

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Colorful, creamy, savory, and lightly sweet, winter squash bisque is one of my favorite autumn dishes and often the first thing I make when the weather turns chilly. Pureed squash (and root vegetable) soups are a great option for gluten-free and dairy-free meals, since the vegetables’ starchiness creates a silky smooth texture without the need for flour, butter, or cream. My latest version is dairy-free (though I sometimes finish it with a dollop of tangy creme fraiche or a swirl of yogurt), with apple for natural sweetness that complements the earthiness of the squash.

I also included my go-to spice combination of ginger (fresh and ground), coriander, and turmeric, which I lightly toast along with the vegetables and apple. This potent triad provides a wide range of anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, detoxifying, and immune-boosting goodness, in addition to delectably pungent, spicy, and complex flavors.

Fresh ginger root is a mainstay of my kitchen apothecary during the colder months. A squeeze of ginger juice (grated and then strained/squeezed to release the juice) and lemon in warm water — you can also add a pinch of ground turmeric — is a powerful morning elixir to keep germs at bay.

I’ve found that ginger root stays quite fresh for a few weeks at cool room temperature, whereas when stored in the fridge it tends to go shriveled and moldy. (I do store small, peeled pieces in the fridge, but try to use them within a day or so.)

And an announcement …

If you’re in the NYC area and interested in learning more about gluten-free cooking, join me for a small-group market tour and tutorial (with dinner and wine) on Saturday, October 20th.

We’ll explore a local market and talk about the basics of a health-supportive gluten-free lifestyle, then head to the kitchen where we’ll put the finishing touches on our seasonal menu before sitting down to enjoy our meal.

Click on the ‘cooking events in NYC’ tab at the top of the page for more details. Hope to see you there!

And visit the kale & cardamom page on facebook for more frequent updates and quick and easy recipes.

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spiced butternut squash-apple bisque

This soup is extra tasty finished with a dollop of creme fraiche, plain yogurt, or coconut creme, and a few crispy spiced pumpkin seeds (try these!)

makes about 6 cups

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 butternut squash (1 to 1.5 lbs), peeled, seeded, and roughly diced (about 5 cups)
1 large apple (I used a macoun; any variety will do), peeled, cored, and diced (about 1.5 cups)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 to 4 cups stock (bone or veg) or water
juice of half a lemon, or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (to taste)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot heat the coconut oil over a medium flame. Add the shallot and onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown.

Add the butternut squash, apple, and fresh ginger, and big pinches of salt and black pepper, and cook for a few minutes more. Add the ground spices, stirring well to coat the squash and apple, and cook for a couple of minutes until the spices are fragrant.

Add stock or water to cover the vegetables. Stir well, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Allow the soup to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before processing in a blender (for a uniformly smooth and silky texture) or with an immersion blender (for a slightly more chunky and rustic soup). If using a stand blender, blending in 2 or 3 small batches is easiest.

Return pureed soup to the rinsed pot and reheat over a low flame, adding a little more stock or water if the soup is too thick. Add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve as is or garnished with creme fraiche or yogurt and toasted pumpkin seeds.

boozy summer fruits with Thai basil

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These hot days have me craving the simplest summery fare. Now that stone fruits have made their first appearances, I’m thinking nonstop about creative ways to use all the peaches, nectarines, and apricots that cross my path. On Saturday I came home from the greenmarket toting fragrant New York State peaches, sugar plums, and the sweetest, so-red-they’re-almost-black sweet cherries my tastebuds have ever encountered. Heaven!

Dessert that night was a summer fruit medley with a kick — the kick being tequila (still have a bottle lying around from those leafy green margaritas of a few months back), rounded out by a squeeze of bright, tart lime, flowery local honey, and tongue-tingling ginger.

Peach + basil is one of my favorite fruit-herb combinations, so I also added a few thinly sliced leaves of Thai basil. If you haven’t tried Thai basil before, its flavor is much like regular Italian basil but with more prominent licorice notes and a pungent, musky aroma. If there’s an herb with more intrigue, I’ve never met it 🙂 I rarely see the Thai variety in grocery stores, but this time of year farm stands often have it (Asian markets often carry it, too). Definitely give it a try if you happen upon it!

boozy summer fruits with Thai basil 
serves 4

If you don’t have Thai basil on hand, substitute whatever basil variety you can purchase fresh (lemon basil would be especially good) — or try mint for a variation.

zest and juice from 1/2 lime (about 1/2 tsp zest and 1 tablespoon juice)
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon good quality tequila (I used Herradura Silver)
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
2 ripe peaches, pitted and diced
3 ripe plums, pitted and sliced (I used yellow sugar plums)
1 cup sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon chiffonade-sliced Thai basil (from 12 smallish leaves), plus a few additional sprigs, for garnish

Whisk together the lime zest and juice, honey, tequila, and ginger in a large bowl. Add the fruits and basil and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the fruit to absorb the flavors of the marinade.

Serve the fruit salad solo, garnished with sprigs of basil, or with a dollop of whipped cream. Also delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside.

raw chocolate mango parfait with goji berries + cacao nibs

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Hi there 🙂 A busy week has begun, not much time for cooking or recipe writing, but I wanted to share with you a ridiculously easy and delicious dessert that I made over the weekend. I woke up on Saturday morning all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (don’t you just love days like that?), and while the coffee was brewing I was already gathering ingredients for this chocolate and mango parfait.

The chocolate mousse layers are raw and made without eggs or dairy, a simple combination of avocado, banana, cacao powder, cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. (I got the idea for the chocolate avocado mousse here and have been looking forward to trying it for ages.) Creamy, rich and chocolately, I would happily eat the mousse solo — and I’m not kidding when I say nobody would ever guess there is avocado in there!

The layers of luscious, earthy, and bittersweet mousse contrast perfectly with chunks of juicy, sweet mango, with chewy goji berries and crunchy cacao nibs for pops of textural contrast. This is THE chocolate dessert for those summer days when you’re in the mood for something light and fruity with a decadent twist. And it’s so nutritious you could even eat it for breakfast (I admit to nothing).

raw chocolate mango parfait with goji berries + cacao nibs
serves 2

1 ripe large avocado
1/2 banana
2-3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup, raw honey or coconut nectar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of fine-grained Himalayan salt
1/2 cup diced mango
2 to 3 tablespoons dried goji berries
2 to 3 tablespoons raw cacao nibs

In a food processor combine the avocado, banana, cacao powder, sweetener of choice, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Process until completely smooth. (Alternately, mash the ingredients with a fork until combined well.)

To serve, sprinkle about a tablespoon of mango, 1/2 teaspoon of goji berries, and 1/2 teaspoon of cacao nibs in the bottom of a glass or small bowl. Spoon some of the chocolate mousse on top. Add another layer of fruit and nibs, then another layer of mousse, ending with a layer of mango, goji, and nibs.

Serve immediately, or chill for 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Best on the day it is prepared.

egg drop miso soup with asparagus + sugar snaps

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Colds and other minor illnesses tend to surface when the body’s internal balance has gone off-kilter, and they offer an opportunity to clear out the system and reset our equilibrium. What better time to flush the body with teas and soups packed with detoxifying and alkalizing foods, herbs, and spices: lemon, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, raw honey, miso, and greens.

It feels odd to be writing about soup in the middle of June, but I cooked up a big pot last week when I started coming down with a cold, ate it for 2 days straight (the weather was cool, which made soup-slurping feel not so out of synch with the season) and was cured! A cross between miso and egg drop soup, it’s lemony, light, and soothing, with a healthy dose of probiotics from the raw miso and high-quality, easy to digest protein from the egg.

Satisfying yet easy on the digestive system, it’s a perfect comfort food when you’re under the weather, or a light meal any time of year. Keep it seasonal by adding whatever vegetables are available — crisp asparagus, greens, and peas in spring and summer, starchy vegetables like sweet potato and squash in the colder months. Add lots of red chile flakes – and even some chopped fresh jalapeno – if you’re really craving a kick of heat.

egg drop miso soup with asparagus + sugar snaps
makes about 2 quarts of soup
4 cups (1 quart) broth or stock of your choice (or water, in which case I would add 2 more tablespoons of miso at the end, to boost the flavor of the soup)
1 head spring garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (or 3-4 cloves aged garlic, which is more potent)
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 small carrots, sliced into coins
pinch of ground turmeric
red chile flakes (to taste)
3 or 4 large asparagus spears, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut into thirds
2 large pastured eggs, beaten with a fork
2 heaping tablespoons miso paste (I used chickpea miso)
juice of 2 small lemons
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large pot combine broth, garlic, shallot, ginger, carrot, turmeric, pinch of chile flakes, pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add asparagus and snap peas and simmer until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes more.

Turn off heat and whisk in beaten eggs (they will cook instantly in the hot soup). Whisk in miso paste and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Leftover soup can be reheated by gently simmering over a low flame for several minutes (boiling will kill the good bacteria in the miso).