"chickpea flour does it all" review

Today I am reviewing the hot new cookbook, Chickpea Flour Does It All (Amazon), by Lindsey S. Love.

This book uses chickpea flour in all its recipes, although not exclusively. For instance, baked goods might require other flours as well, besides chickpea flour, which is very high in protein and is very dense if baked with solely.

The book is well made, printed on high-quality paper with great photography throughout.

The book is arranged by season and month, which is nice if you live in her neck of the woods, but comes as a bit of hindrance when searching for a recipe since it can be located in any month; however, the index is very thoughtfully arranged.

The recipes in this book are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, but not egg-free. In fact, out of the 96 recipes, 49 are vegan, which means that, unfortunately, 46 require eggs (1 requires bee pollen).

Since chickens are among the most horribly treated animals exploited for their eggs, I am quite disappointed that the author does not make an attempt to offer a replacement for their use. The lack of any options to substitute eggs comes as a blow to the positivism that the book is otherwise full of.

Because so many recipes call for eggs, I have taken the time to mark the recipes that do. The ones with an asterisk (*) need at least one egg, the ones that have no asterisk are vegan. I'll leave it up to you to decide if this book is a good fit for you.

I am also sharing a recipe below, to give you an idea of how good the vegan recipes are in this book -- and they are! But Ms. Love should definitely take the leap to being a more compassionate recipe developer, because obviously she is talented, creative and a great cook.

WINTER

January

Sauteed Pear & Sage Pancakes with Almonds*
Breakfast Sweet Potato Cakes & Baby Arugula Bowl
Onion Poppy Seed Bread*
Za'atar Crackers
Sunchoke & Leek Soup
Ginger-Shiitake Miso Broth with Chickpea Tofu
Caraway Spatzle with Kale & Balsamic Onions*
Chocolate Banana Loaf*

February

Collard Wrap with Turmeric Scramble
Hearty Morning Glory Loaf*
Chickpea Waffle Avocado Toast*
Chipotle Queso Dip
Mini Polenta Pizzas with Caramelized Fennel & Garlic Paste
Flatbread with Harissa, Kale & Gaeta Olives
Acorn Squash Tart with Caramelized Onions & Collard Greens
Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes with Chocolate Glaze*

March

Fresh Ginger & Pomegranate Muffins*
Irish Soda Bread*
Chickpea Frites with Sriracha Ketchup
Chickpea Banh Mi
Spiced Black Bean Tostadas with Kiwi Salsa
Mung Bean Pancakes with Carrots, Scallions & Ginger*
Sweet Crepes with Kumquat Marmalade*
Almond Butter Brownies*

SPRING

April

Clumpy Granola Bowl with Stewed Rhubarb & Yogurt
Mango Poppy Seed Cornmeal Muffins*
Skillet Spinach & Chive Quiche*
Easy-Spring Veggie Bowl with Warm Hummus Drizzle
Chickpea Noodles with Miso-Kale Pesto*
Spring Onion & Lemongrass Stew with Cauliflower & Yams
Grilled Harissa Cauliflower with Quinoa Toss
Lemony Panelle Sandwich with Grilled Ramps & Balsamic Vinegar

May

Asparagus Chickpea Fritters
Lemon-Rhubarb Snacking Cake*
Alfredo with Watercress & Chives
Chickpea Polenta with Sauteed Spring Vegetables
Kalamata Chickpea Wrap with Pickled Leeks & Microgreens*
Herbed Sweet Pea Pockets
Vanilla Bean Lavender Cupcakes*
Strawberry Tart with Cardamom-Coconut Cream

June

Cherry Dutch Baby*
Baby Chickpea Quiches with New Potatoes & Chard
Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Macadamia Ricotta
Chickpea-Halloumi Salad with Crispy Quinoa
Chickpea Pizza with Asparagus & Pea Shoot Tangle
Grilled Zucchini Tacos with Chickpea-Chipotle Crema
Nutty Oat Ice Cream Sandwiches*
Strawberry S'mores

SUMMER

July

Lemon-Blueberry Coffee Cake*
Everyday Socca
Fried Heirloom Tomatoes
Kofta Wraps with Sumac Tahini*
Spiced Chickpea Pancakes with Charred Corn & Radish Salsa*
Grilled Summer Vegetables with Chickpea Flour Dukkah
Cookies-and-Cream Icebox Cake
Raspberry-Nectarine Pie with Lemon Basil

August

Savory Zucchini, Shiso, & Black Quinoa Muffins*
Stone Fruit Breakfast Crisp with Yogurt & Bee Pollen* for bee pollen
Ratatouille Tartlets
Sweet Corn & Cilantro Chowder
Eggplant Schnitzel Plate*
Grilled Vegetable Kebabs with Green Goddess Sauce
Blackberry-Lime Cobbler*
Sweet Flatbread with Grilled Berries

September

Goji Berry & Cacao Nib Granola Bars
Fig & Hazelnut Clafoutis*
Baked Squash Tempura with Hemp Dip*
Creamy Harvest Tabbouleh Salad
Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Chickpea Sour Cream
Quinoa Falafel with Romesco Sauce
Chewy Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pink Himalayan Salt*
A Late-Summer Birthday Cake*

FALL

October

French Toast with Grape Compote
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies*
Chickpea Omelet with Shiitakes & Microgreens
Chickpea Tzatziki Dip
Baked Buttermilk Onion Rings
Savory Crepes with Beet Pate*
Spaghetti Squash Fritters*
Beetballs with Rosemary White Bean Cream*

November

Chai-Spice Swirl Breakfast Bread*
Apple Crumb Bars
Buttermilk Chickpea Corn Bread*
Herbed Sweet Potato Biscuits
Root Vegetable Crumble
Moroccan-Spiced Lentil & Pumpkin Burgers*
Chili-Roasted Pumpkin with Chickpea-Miso Gravy
Squash Doughnuts with Almond-Butter Glaze*

December

Spiced Scones with Crushed Cranberries*
Cacao Waffles*
Baby Kale Caesar Salad
Celery Root Latkes*
Roasted Kabocha Squash with Black Rice & Chickpea-Sesame Dressing
Matzo Ball Soup*
Jammy Almond Thumbprint Cookies*
Parsnip-Pear Bundt Cake*   

Photo by Lindsey S. Love

Chickpea Tzatziki Dip

Tzatziki is a Greek yogurt–based sauce and dip. It’s served cold and is flavored with cooling cucumbers, garlic, and lemon juice. Chickpea flour is used here to form that creamy base that tzatziki is known for without the yogurt and does a remarkable job of duplicating it entirely. This is best made the day before you plan to serve it, but can also be made the morning of; it needs time to cool and for the flavors to meld. This dip is great to serve alongside chickpea flatbread for dipping (see Flatbread with Harissa, Kale, and Gaeta Olives, page 39), olives, and a big salad.

Makes: roughly 1 1/2 cups // serves: 4 to 6 // prep time: 12 hours // cook time: 4 hours

• 1 medium cucumber, grated with a box grater
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• ¼ cup (30 g) chickpea flour
• ¼ cup (45 g) raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill

1. Place the grated cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve. Use your palm and push to squeeze out as much liquid as possible; set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and flour until smooth. Turn heat to medium and continue whisking until the mixture thickens, about 6 to 7 minutes; the mixture will resemble a roux or melted cheese. Remove from the heat.

3. Place the flour mixture, cashews, garlic, vinegar, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a high-speed blender; blend for 1 minute, until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl; stir in the grated cucumber and dill. Let the tzatziki come to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

4. Remove from the refrigerator when ready to serve and give it a good stir.


Credit line: Recipe from Chickpea Flour Does It All: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian Recipes for Every Taste and Season © Lindsey S. Love, 2016. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold.  theexperimentpublishing.com 

aquafaba!

It has been a few weeks since my last post (check my last post for the winner of Vegan Under Pressure (Amazon)) and I’m excited to share what I’ve been working feverishly on.

Yes, it’s a new cookbook. But, it is more than just a cookbook. It is a cookbook about Aquafaba! While many people have already heard about it, still many more haven’t. If you know what Aquafaba is, skip the next paragraph, but if you are new to the Aquafaba world, the next paragraph is a bit of a recap.

Aquafaba is bean water. It is literally the bean water that chickpeas and other legumes are cooked in. A French opera singer, Joël Roessel, and an American software engineer, Goose Wohlt, each (independently) discovered the unique property of bean cooking water, and it is amazing! The water that the beans cook in have the unique property to be able to be whipped into foam that resembles in texture (and some other properties) of whipped egg whites. In other words, they discovered that Aquafaba, bean water, can act as a meringue! That’s what started something that is sure to become the phenomena of the century.

As soon as Aquafaba was discovered, a Facebook group was organized and now is the hub of all kinds of discoveries into all manners of different applications of Aquafaba. I encourage you to check out the group Vegan Meringue: Hits and Misses (but the group is way more than just meringue these days!)

Last March, when the news hit the webosphere, I had a first row seat and watched in wonder as meringue, fluff, cookies, and my contributions, Seitan Schnitzel and Chile Relleno, were shared for all to enjoy. Aquafaba has become a community effort and I am hoping my book will be a contribution to the wonder that is becoming a global phenomenon.

Late last year (after my book, Vegan Bowls, was published) I knew I had to think about what to work on next. I was continually amazed at the wonders that the members of Vegan Meringue Hits and Misses kept posting. I saw the hits and the misses and sometimes frustrations of members who just wanted tried and true recipes for Aquafaba… and that’s when a light bulb went off. I knew I had my next project.

When I set my mind to a project, I dig deep and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing with Aquafaba over the past half year. I swim in Aquafaba these days – actually, that’s not true – it’s chickpeas I’m swimming in; the Aquafaba gets used up as fast as I can make it in experiment after experiment.

I am very excited to be part of the Aquafaba movement and am completely honored that Goose Wohlt has agreed to write the foreword to my book!

I know that my cookbook will be just the tip of the iceberg that Aquafaba is, so my hope is that this book will be a wonderful beacon that will bring many more creative individuals to this ever evolving arena.

"vegan under pressure" + giveaway

Lori, you are the winner of the book! Please contact me!

The brand new cookbook, Vegan Under Pressure (Amazon, B&N), by Jill Nussinow, has been on my radar ever since its release was announced. I was very thrilled when I was asked to review this book, since I have a pressure cooker I adore and I love making food fast.

As wonderful as that idea is, it is also important to note that while cooking under pressure is pretty fast (sometimes as quick as a few minutes!), the bulk of the time of pressure cooking is taken up by the time the pot takes to come to pressure and then, after cooking, the time it takes to release pressure. Once you are comfortable with that, pressure cooking really is a wonderful way to get dinner or lunch on the table quickly. And because it is a pressure cooker, most of the time (though not all the time!), it is one-pot cooking.

Let's get into Jill's book.

Jill first covers the basics, just in case this is your first forage into pressure cooking, and then gets into the recipes, which include a chapter on spice blends and seasonings you can make at home. Then she dives into recipes for Grains, Beans, Vegetables, Soups, Main Courses, Toppers: Sauces Fillings and More, Appetizers and, finally, Desserts. Jill provides a wide range of recipes, as you can easily tell.

Now for some recipes.

The first recipe I stumbled on I knew I just had to make; I love kohlrabi and this one sounded really delicious: Mustard-Parsley Kohlrabi, in the Vegetable Chapter. As expected, it was completely wonderful - and easy to make. It's on page 145.

This recipe took 5 minutes at high pressure and comes dressed in a delicious no-oil dressing.

This next recipe was an easy choice for me because lately I have found myself with a surplus of chickpeas; Middle Eastern Chickpea and Tomato Soup, page 182. As with all the recipes, there is a cute icon at the top of the page that indicates how long it is cooked for and this one took 14 minutes at high pressure.

This soup is laced with saffron and a wonderful assortment of Middle Eastern spices. Another easy and tasty meal.

Finally, I made another bean recipe, this one a lima bean dish. Although the recipe calls for baby lima beans, I love large limas and since I had it on hand, this dish turned into a large lima bean dish. Of course, the recipe as written will be just as delicious as when I made it.

The fennel and artichokes in this dish, along with the lemon and mint, made this a unique and delicious meal. We used some whole-grain bread to sop up the wonderful stew.

But, hey, don't take my word for how delicious it was! Make it yourself! Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (hmco.com) is sharing the recipe for Greek Stewed Lima Beans below (coming soon). In the meantime, enter to win a copy of Vegan Under Pressure, again, courtesy of Houghton Mufflin Harcourt.

To enter to win, just leave a comment about your thoughts regarding pressure cooking or Jill herslef. For a second chance to win, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or via RSS Feed (via a Reader) and leave a SECOND comment. All the cute buttons for following are available on the top right of this blog, just below the photos of my books. Contest is open to US and Canada addresses and will end February 29 at midnight (it is a leap year, after all). Good luck!

Greek Stewed Lima Beans with Fennel and Artichokes
Serves 4

Fennel and artichokes make a great pair and this brothy, springtime stew brings out the best in all of its vegetables. If you think you don’t care for lima beans, this dish may change your mind. It did for me. If you really don’t care for them, make this with cannellini beans but add an extra minute to the pressure cooking time.

Serve with a salad and a hunk of hearty bread or spoon over cooked polenta for a Mediterranean feast. This dish benefits from using olive oil for sautéing and your best extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top, but you can still leave it out.

1 tablespoon olive oil, optional
1 cup diced leek, mostly the white part
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced carrot
½ teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1¼ cups vegetable stock
1 cup baby lima beans, soaked and drained
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped fennel bulb, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fennel fronds
½ cup frozen (not thawed) or drained canned artichoke hearts in water
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, optional


1. Heat a stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat or set an electric cooker to sauté; add the oil. Add the leek and sauté for 1 minute. Add the garlic, carrot, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of the oregano. Sauté another minute, stirring often. Add a tablespoon of the stock if you get any sticking. Stir well.

2. Add the remaining stock, drained beans, bay leaves, fennel bulb and fronds, and artichoke hearts and stir. Lock on the lid. Bring to high pressure; cook for 6 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally. Carefully remove the lid, tilting it away from you.

3. Taste a few beans to make sure they are cooked through. If not, lock the lid, return the cooker to high pressure, and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove the lid carefully.

4. Add the lemon zest and juice and the mint. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano if you want a highly flavored dish. Transfer to a bowl or platter. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.

Greek Stewed Lima Beans with Fennel, Artichokes, and Tomatoes:
If you love tomatoes and think that they would make this dish pop for you, feel free to add 1 cup diced tomatoes when you open the pressure cooker. Stir in, lock on the lid, and let sit for 2 minutes.


Text excerpted from Vegan Under Pressure, © 2015 by Jill Nussinow. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

dinner to bento: vegetable au gratin casserole

Before I get into today's post, I have to announce the winner of Superfoods 24/7 (Amazon, B&N)! The winner is: Sue Hegle! Congratulations! Contact me at zsusveganpantry dot com so I can get your mailing address.

Today's post features another Dinner to Bento meal. That makes 2, so it means that I'm on a roll. If you had seen my first Dinner to Bento meal HERE, you might have noticed that I changed it from Dinner to Lunchbox to Diner to Bento. Why? Because I like it better. I love the term bento, which means meals packed in a lunch container, meant to be taken to school or work. 

While it might seem that is all there is to it, bento also means that the meal is healthy, balanced, thoughtful and appetizing. It means more than just throwing a few things into a container and calling it a bento. It is the art of thoughtfully organizing a lunchbox. Now, don't you like Dinner to Bento better, as well?

This dinner is vegetable-centered and is an easy vegetable casserole in a bechamel sauce. After sauteing some garlic and oregano and cooking the flour, you mix in some non-dairy milk and bring to a simmer.

Thinly slice your vegetables (use a mandolin for the fastest, most accurate way) and layer the veggies in the bechamel sauce, starting with the potatoes. Cook the potatoes in the sauce for about 5 minutes to give them a jump-start.

Then stir in the spinach until it wilts (this happens fast as the sauce is hot), add the onions and then the squash. Press down on the squash until some of the sauce bubbles up. Don't add more liquid, otherwise you'll wind up with soup.

Cover and bake until tender. Add some optional fresh bread crumbs (leave 1/6 of the dish uncovered with bread crumbs; this will be transformed into your bento later), bake until the bread is crisp and serve with a green salad. Here I served it with Creamy Garlic Tahini Dressing.

For the bento portion, you will be creating a Oregano Bean Puree Crostini. Sautee fresh oregano, garlic and lima beans until the beans are fragrant with the herb, about 5 minutes. You can do this while the casserole is baking.

Blend the beans with 1/6 of the vegetable casserole (scrape the bread crumbs off, if you added it) and season to taste. Chill before packing. 

Let's talk bento. 

Above I wrote of the thoughtfulness of packing a bento vs. packing a lunchbox. There are a few things to keep in mind that will make the lunch be healthy, nutritious, balanced and appetizing.

The traditional bento relies on proportions:

4 parts carbohydrates
3 parts protein
2 parts vegetables
1 part treat

As vegans, you will find that your carbs and proteins might fall into the same categories: beans are both carbs and protein. Same with nuts and seeds. There are a few high-protein exceptions: soy and seitan, but typically don't go crazy adhering to the above traditional proportions. 

Instead, especially if you are using whole grains as your carbs, your proportions will more likely look like:

6 parts carbohydrates (whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts)
2 parts protein (whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, soy, seitan)
2 parts vegetables
1 part treat (sweets, fruit)

Bentos also require color. As we now know, color doesn't just make food look appealing, but it is a great way to ensure you get your proper balance of nutrients; if you eat the color of the rainbow, you are maximizing variety, and therefore gaining your nutrition from a variety of plants. 

Rule of thumb for color? Make sure you have one of each of the following categories covered:

Red/Yellow/Orange
Green
White
Brown/Black/Purple

A note on the White color: if it is typically a white grain you are thinking of (such as rice), consider using whole grain instead. In the example, use brown rice instead of white rice and call it a win. 

There you have it: cover the proportions and the color spectrum and you will have built a bento.

My bento for today is:

Oregano Bean Puree [yellow, carb, protein] served with 
Pickles [the beans need the acid - use pickled onions or jalapenos instead, if you like (green, vegetable)]
Crostini [thin slices of toasted bread (white/brown, carb)]
Salad [green, vegetable]
Carrot curls [orange, vegetable]
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin Bite [from Everyday Vegan Eats (brown, treat)]

A tip before we get to the recipe: pack your box tightly to avoid shifting of the food. Nothing worse than lovingly and carefully packing the container only to have everything mix up and mash together when the box is moved. Use containers to separate ingredients or vegetable or grain pieces to hold the sections separate. More tips next time!

Vegetable Au Gratin Casserole/ Oregano Bean Puree
Prep time: 30 minutes    Cook time: 60 minutes
Serves 4 to 5


Casserole:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2  teaspoons sea salt
1/2  teaspoon black pepper
4 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
Fresh ground nutmeg
2 pounds Russet potatoes, thinly sliced (⅛-inch)
8 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
4 slices whole grain bread

Dressing:
4 tablespoons vegan sour cream
4 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons tahini
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2  teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Oregano Bean Puree:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup lima beans
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh oregano
1/6 vegetable casserole (without bread crumb topping)


1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Add the flour garlic, bay, oregano, salt and black pepper. Cook until fragrant. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add about 8 grates of fresh nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and add the potatoes. Stir the potatoes around in the sauce to ensure all slices of potatoes are coated. Simmer the potatoes for about 4 minutes.
2. Add the spinach and stir to wilt. Add the onions in a single layer. Add the squash slices as the last layer. Gently press on the squash to bubble up the sauce over the slices. Cover the skillet tightly with a lid or foil and bake for 40 minutes.
3. Add the bread to a food processor and process into crumbs. Add to the casserole, spray with oil and continue to bake, uncovered, until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes. Serve, reserving ⅙ of the casserole.
4. For the Dressing: While the casserole is baking, combine the sour cream broth, vinegar, tahini, garlic, paprika and salt in a small blender. Process until smooth. Serve with green salad.
5. For the puree: Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the beans, garlic and oregano. Saute until the beans are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bean mixture to a food processor. Add the casserole mixture and process until as smooth as you like. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with crostini (toasted slices of French or Italian bread.

 © 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

"superfoods 24/7" + giveaway

What better time to review a cookbook about superfoods than now, at the beginning of the year when all good resolutions come about? “There is a real superfood buzz in the air right now,” Jessica Nadel observes in Superfoods 24/7 (Amazon, B&N), and she is quite the expert at this new trend. However, eating foods that are high in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber, should not be a bandwagon we jump on, but at the forefront of our everyday eating habits.

That is why Jessica, of the Cupcakes and Kale site and the author of Greens 24/7 (Amazon, B&N), wrote this inspiring book. Superfoods can range from the new upstarts, like chia seeds, matcha, lucuma, to superfoods that you are already eating, but perhaps not in enough quantities, such as broccoli, kale, apples and mangos.

And here comes Jessica, providing us with recipes that are easy to prepare and are whole-foods, not to mention delicious. The recipes range from breakfasts, soups and salads, to small bites, sides, entrees and desserts – it’s all here, for every meal of every day. Once you see how easy it is to incorporate wonderful nutrition into your diet - very deliciously, to boot - you will find yourself feeling and being in a state of better-ness.

I decided to check out Jessica’s book by preparing a few recipes for myself, and I found everything pretty simple to prepare and very tasty.

First I made the Raw Brownie Truffles because who can really beat chocolate as a snack – and it was a component of the breakfast I wanted to make. The truffles were quite delicious and truly easy to make.

Then I went on to top her quick and simple Quinoa Porridge with the Brownie Crumbles and it was so yummy.

After that I tried the Spicy Spinach Coconut Noodles. I loved this dish; it was spicy and coconut-y and very flavorful. Hard to believe it has more than just a few superfoods in it! On top of that, I think the entire dish was ready in about 20 minutes at the most.

Overall, the book is very nice. It has full-color photography via Jackie Sobon and is printed on high-quality paper. The index even includes recipes searchable by a particular superfoood.

This book makes a fantastic New Year addition to your cookbook shelf but, you will find yourself actually using it throughout the year, long after other resolutions have faded and have been forgotten. This is like giving a gift of health to yourself!

Let’s sweeten the superfoods pot – I’m hosting a giveaway for the book! Check out the recipe below for Sunflower Seed and Sprout Pad Thai from Superfoods 24/7, and the enter to win the book, courtesy of The Experiment. 

To enter to win, just leave a comment about your thoughts regarding superfoods or what superfood you'd like to try the most. For a second chance to win, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or via RSS Feed (via a Reader) and leave a SECOND comment. All the cute buttons for following are available on the top right of this blog, just below the photos of my books. Contest is open to US and Canada addresses and will end January 18 at midnight. Good luck!

Photo by Jackie Sobon

SUNFLOWER SEED AND SPROUT PAD THAI

A duo of sunflower seeds and sprouts provides bursts of linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid) and amino acids, including tryptophan—most commonly associate with turkey and post-holiday feast relaxation. This option is certainly more exciting, fresh, and flavorful.

Serves 4, gluten-free 

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 15 mins

• 14 oz (400 g) flat rice noodles 

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 large carrot, julienned

• 1 cup (100 g) snow peas

• ½ cup (70 g) toasted sunflower seeds

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

• 2 cups (170 g) sunflower sprouts

• ½ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped, to serve

• lime wedges, to serve

For the Sauce:

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) lime juice

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) gluten-free tamari

• 1/4 (60 ml) water

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1-2 teaspoons chili sauce, such as Sriracha

1. Prepare the noodles according to the package directions and set aside. 

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, carrots, and snow peas, and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the sauce ingredients, whisking to combine. Return the vegetables to the pan, with the noodles, sunflower seeds, and green onions, and stir to mix together and coat in the sauce. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, fold in the sunflower sprouts, and serve topped with cilantro and lime wedges. 

VARIATION: If sunflower sprouts aren’t available, try using mung bean sprouts instead. Broccoli florets are another nice vegetable option instead of—or in addition to—the snow peas. 

Calories (per serving): 461

Protein: 10.7 g

Total fat: 10.0 g

Saturated fat: 3.4 g

Carbohydrates: 82.5 g

Dietary fiber: 4.4 g

Sugars: 4.8 g

Vitamins: A

Credit line: Recipe from Superfoods 24/7: More than 100 Easy and Inspired Recipes to Enjoy the World’s Most Nutritious Foods at Every Meal, Every Day © Quantum Publishing, 2015. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com 

dinner to bento: caramelized onion and kale sautee

Before I get into today's post, I have to announce the winner of The Taco Cleanse (Amazon, B&N)! The winner is: CHARJ! Congratulations! Contact me at zsusveganpantry dot com so I can get your mailing address.

With one of my girls in college and the other with a job and school, I have been finding the need to pack them lunchboxes. That adds another level of work to my day and I've been wondering how best to tackle that. With a potential new book in the works, I really don't have the luxury any more to make lunch in the middle of the day and then dinner at night.

What to do?

How about making dinner and then using some of those ingredients or components to make lunch for the following day (or the day after)? Sounded good to me! If all goes well, this will become regular blog posts that I can share with you.

I'm calling these Dinner To Bento.

My first offering is Caramelized Onion and Kale Saute with Brown Rice and Beans. After you cook the dinner, set aside some of the saute and rice and make them into Chipotle Burgers. The burgers can be served in wraps, on buns or on a bed of greens.

The easiest ways to cook brown rice fast is to use my method or a pressure cooker.

The ingredients are pretty simple: onions, garlic, sage, kale, broth, rice, beans and jalapenos. Slicing the onions as thin as you can (without taking forever) makes the onions cook faster. Get the rice on first and then start slicing the onions.

After cooking the onions about 8 minutes (keeping the pan covered and adding splashes of broth about every 4 minutes), add the sage and garlic. Another 10 more minutes and you will have caramelized onions.

Add the broth, beans and kale and continue to simmer until the kale is tender - about 10 minutes. By now the rice should be cooked and steaming under a kitchen towel (this goes for either method - once cooked, drape a kitchen towel over the pot).

Before you serve the saute with the rice and chile, set aside 1 cup of the saute (drained) and 1 cup of the rice.

Transfer the saute, mustard, chipotle puree (simply blend a can of chipotle en adobo until smooth and store in the fridge in a covered container where it will keep for months) and quick-cooking oatmeal to a food processor and pulse to chop.

Mix the processed mixture with the rice, form into patties and cook in a skillet until browned. Pack in lunchboxes the next day (in a microwave-safe container if you are planning to reheat it) with a bun or tortilla, a container of chipotle mayo and lettuce and tomato.


That's it! Two meals in one, yet different enough to transcend "leftovers."

Caramelized Onion and Kale Saute/Chipotle Burgers
Prep and cook time: 45 minutes  
Serves 3 to 4 

Saute:
2 cups medium or short-grain brown rice
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 cups vegetable broth, divided
2 sprigs fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
6 garlic cloves, sliced
8 ounces kale, tough stems removed and chopped
2 cups cannellini beans
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
Sea salt and black pepper

Burger:
1 cup drained saute
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats**
1 teaspoon chipotle puree*
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup cooked medium or short-grain brown rice
1 teaspoon olive oil

Mayo:
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chipotle puree*


1. Cook the brown rice. 
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions (use a little oil if you like, but it is not necessary). Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Stir, add a splash of broth, cover and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, sage, garlic, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Repeat with a splash of broth, stir and continue to cook until the onions are caramelized, about 10 more minutes. 
3. Add the kale, beans and remaining broth to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Cook until the kale is tender, about 10 more minutes. Mash some of the beans using a potato masher or large spoon and cook for another minute. Before serving, remove 1 cup of the sautee (drained) and 1 cup of the rice. Serve with the brown rice and slivers of jalapeno. 
4. For the burgers: Add the saute, oats, chipotle and mustard to a food processor. Pulse until combined but not pureed. Transfer to a bowl and add the rice. Mix well and adjust seasoning. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form into patties about 1/2 an inch thick.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve on buns with the chipotle mayo.
6. For the mayo: Mix the mayonnaise and chipotle in a small bowl until well combined. 

** If you don’t have quick-cooking oats, process rolled oats in the food processor before adding the saute, mustard and chipotle. 

* Blend a can of chipotle en adobo until smooth and store in the fridge in a covered container where it will keep for months.

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